APC Policies Have Worsened Nigerians’ Social, Economic Conditions – ACF

The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF)’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, has welcomed the proposed single opposition presidential candidate by G100 against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

In a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP, while reacting to the G100 proposal, Baba said that the policy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the last four years had devastated Nigerians’ social and economic conditions.

He further stated that the opposition political parties had a fundamental and constitutional right to rally around an individual to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 elections.

ACF spokesperson said some of the opposition candidates were not serious about the contest, “The most important thing to note is that it is the fundamental human right of individuals and parties to organise. It is also within their constitutional right to rally around an individual. Secondly, it is a democracy. Democracy tries its best when there is rigorous, robust opposition, when there are competing policies and policy promises, so that voters will weigh each proposal before them. Thirdly, in Nigeria too many political parties competing for power, and especially the presidency, where the competition is such that some of the competitors are just there for the sake of it”

According to him, “Obviously, some of the competitors are not serious, or they don’t have a chance. As it is, we don’t have more than four or five strong candidates against the dominant party in power, that is the APC. Obviously, the policy of the APC in the last four years has brought devastation to the social and economic conditions of Nigeria.

“There is obviously a need for someone to come up with an alternative. But when the opposition is divided among so many competing interests, voters will be atomised. Each of them will take a little, a little, so that the ruling party may end up with a majority of votes.”

He added, “Even if it is a slim majority, it is still a majority. What is the prospect? Well, if they can bring themselves together, rally around a candidate, set aside their personal ambitions, and present Nigerians with viable policy alternatives, I think they stand a great chance. Because of the suffering, because of the disillusionment with the current dominant political party, they have a chance”

“But they have to work very hard after uniting. Uniting in the sense of uniting and not saying, yes, we are together, but you go underground and work for the ruling party. Certainly, the ruling party will do everything it can to sabotage such unity, but such sabotage is insurmountable. The electorate is waiting. Let them get organised. Let them convince the electorate what they will do, and I am sure the electorate will be informed to make a well-informed choice,” an ACF spokesperson stated.