By Prevail Inegbenose
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of diverting attention from Nigeria’s economic and security challenges by focusing its attacks on the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the ruling APC was attempting to make the 2027 general election about personalities rather than its performance in government.
The opposition party alleged that the APC had seized on recent comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo about Atiku instead of responding to concerns raised by Catholic Bishops over worsening poverty, insecurity and the rising cost of living under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to the ADC, the APC has consistently responded to criticism by attacking critics rather than addressing the issues affecting Nigerians.
“The APC wants the 2027 election to be about personalities because it cannot defend its performance,” the statement said. “They want this election to be about Obasanjo’s personal opinion of Atiku because they cannot defend Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s record based on current performance.”
The party argued that despite political differences between Obasanjo and Atiku, Nigeria recorded stronger economic growth, greater macroeconomic stability, improved investor confidence and a more affordable cost of living during the administration in which Atiku served as Vice President and Chairman of the National Economic Council.
ADC challenged the Federal Government to explain the persistent rise in food prices, increasing poverty, unemployment, rising public debt and the country’s deteriorating security situation.
It also questioned why the government had failed to translate its reported economic growth into improved living conditions for Nigerians, while expressing concern over continued attacks by bandits, terrorists and kidnappers across the country.