2027: Atiku hasn’t offered sensible alternative to Tinubu — Morka
Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), criticized the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, over his recent appeal to President Bola Tinubu to reduce petrol prices and alleviate economic hardships in Nigeria.
In a Friday interview on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” Morka asserted that Abubakar had not provided a viable alternative to the economic strategies employed by the Tinubu administration.
“The last I checked, the former Vice President is a candidate for the office of President. He should clearly outline his plans to improve the lives of Nigerians,” Morka said.
Morka characterized Abubakar’s call for action as a political maneuver, stating, “Asking the President to listen to him is neither here nor there. Atiku Abubakar has not articulated a sensible position or policy as an alternative to what this government is implementing.”
Abubakar had called on Tinubu, during a press conference in Abuja, to take actionable steps to lower petrol prices, arguing that rising energy and transportation costs are exacerbating the financial strain on households and businesses. He offered to share his policy framework with the government, emphasizing that any effective measure to decrease living costs should be adopted, regardless of its source. “A sensible idea does not become a bad idea because it came from your opponent,” Abubakar remarked.
In response, Morka accused Abubakar of hypocrisy, noting that he supported the removal of the petrol subsidy during the 2023 presidential campaign but later criticized the decision after it was enacted by the current administration.
Abubakar also expressed opposition to the planned phase-out of electricity subsidies set to begin in 2027, contending that individuals and businesses are already facing significant energy costs. He cautioned against repeating the challenges experienced during the petrol subsidy removal.
In his rebuttal, Morka questioned Abubakar’s record on electricity issues from his tenure as Vice President, suggesting he had the opportunity to address these challenges but did not. “Why is he now proposing solutions that he failed to implement while in government?” Morka asked.
