APC Group Accepts Atiku’s Challenge, Defends Tinubu’s Record

The APC National Stakeholders’ Media Support Group (APC-NSMSG) has accepted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s challenge to make the 2027 presidential election a referendum on records, insisting that President Bola Ahmed

Tinubu’s performance should be compared with Atiku’s record in public office.

The group expressed confidence in Tinubu ahead of the election, arguing that the president’s economic reforms, infrastructure projects, student loan programme and security initiatives would feature prominently in voters’ assessment of his administration.

The APC-NSMSG reacted to a statement attributed to Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, titled “2027 Election Will Be Referendum on Your Record,” published by an online news medium.

In a statement issued to journalists oyesterday in Abuja from its Kaduna Flag-Off Media Centre, the group’s secretary and convener, Dr Oladimeji Adams, said the APC stakeholders welcomed the former vicepresident’s position.

“We thank Atiku for finally saying the truth. Yes, 2027 will be referendum on record. And we are ready,” the group said.
It maintained that Atiku’s record as vice president between 1999 and 2007 should be examined alongside Tinubu’s performance since assuming office in May 2023.

On fuel subsidy removal and the depreciation of the naira, the APC-NSMSG defended the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, arguing that the reforms were necessary to address longstanding distortions in the economy.

The group claimed that Atiku had promised to remove fuel subsidies on his first day in office in his 2023 presidential manifesto.

According to the statement, the difference between the two politicians lay in how the policy was implemented and the use of the resulting savings.

The group said the removal of the subsidy under Tinubu generated N7.1 trillion in savings, which it claimed had supported allocations through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), student loans and infrastructure development.

On foreign exchange reforms, the APC stakeholders argued that the previous currency regime was unsustainable and created opportunities for speculation and round-tripping.

It claimed that the naira’s movement from N471 to N1,329 reflected the transition away from what it described as an artificial exchange rate.

The group also asserted that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had increased from $33 billion to $42 billion under Tinubu.

The figures and assessments were presented by the APC group and were not independently verified for this report.

The APC-NSMSG also rejected criticism of Tinubu over poverty levels, arguing that the country’s economic difficulties predated the current administration.

“World Bank 63% is not Tinubu’s creation. It is YOUR creation. You were Vice President 1999-2007 when poverty was 54%. You left it at 62%. Tinubu met 63% and is bringing it down,” the group said.

To support its position, the APC stakeholders cited government interventions, including cash transfers of N75,000 to 15 million households, student loans through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and an increase in the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.

The group also argued that increased FAAC allocations had provided state governments with additional resources for infrastructure and public services.However, the poverty statistics and the claimed impact of the interventions were not independently established in the statement.

On the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025, the APC-NSMSG described the arrangement as constitutional and transparent.

It said the Tinubu administration obtained approval from the National Assembly and published the relevant details in the Federal Government Gazette.

The group also addressed questions concerning N7.13 trillion in energy security expenditure and N11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline spending.

According to the statement, the N7.13 trillion figure included subsidy arrears accumulated between 2022 and 2024, which the group said the current administration inherited.

It further claimed that Tinubu had ordered a forensic audit and published expenditure breakdowns to improve transparency and accountability.

On other financial issues, the APC stakeholders said charges associated with an Abu Dhabi facility originated from an agreement negotiated in 2022, while a reported $12.4 billion gap in external accounts was identified by the Central Bank of Nigeria under Governor Olayemi Cardoso.

The group presented these developments as evidence of efforts to improve financial accountability under the current administration.

Defending the federal government’s response to insecurity, the APC-NSMSG cited military operations against terrorists and bandits, increased defence spending and the planned deployment of forest guards.

The group claimed that security operations under Tinubu had resulted in the killing of 8,200 terrorists, the arrest of 11,000 bandits and the rescue of 4,500 victims over approximately two and a half years.

It also cited the recruitment of 30,000 forest guards and an increase in the defence budget from N1.2 trillion to N4.1 trillion.

However, the figures were claims made by the group and were not independently verified for this report.

Taking a swipe at Atiku, the APC stakeholders questioned his criticism of the administration’s security efforts.

“You live safe in Dubai. Tinubu is in Kaduna today flagging off security plan. Who is serious?” the statement asked.

The group also referenced the emergence of banditry in Zamfara State and Boko Haram, arguing that the security challenges predated Tinubu’s administration.

The APC-NSMSG cited a gathering at Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna on Saturday as evidence of support for Tinubu, claiming that approximately 75,000 people attended the event and chanted “Sai Tinubu.”

According to the group, traders, students and farmers turned out for the gathering, while about 20,000 people were unable to gain entry into the stadium because of the crowd.

It also contrasted the reported attendance with what it described as a turnout of 3,000 people at Atiku’s 2023 rally in Kaduna.

“If people rejected Tinubu, why did 75,000 come today in Kaduna? Why did market women leave market? Students leave school? Farmers leave farm? Hotels fully booked? 20,000 stay outside stadium that could not enter?” the statement asked.

The attendance figures and the comparison with Atiku’s previous rally could not be independently confirmed for this report.

Reaffirming its acceptance of Atiku’s referendum challenge, the APC-NSMSG proposed seven questions it said Nigerians should consider when assessing the records of the two political figures.

The questions focused on fuel subsidy removal, increases in the minimum wage, student loans, infrastructure projects, foreign reserves, forest guard recruitment and the politicians’ respective places of residence.

The group specifically highlighted the Kaduna-Kano railway, Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and Sokoto-Badagry highway as major infrastructure projects associated with Tinubu’s administration.

It also cited the increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 and the provision of student loans to hundreds of thousands of students through NELFUND.

The APC stakeholders argued that these issues should form part of the national debate on governance and accountability ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The group also criticised Atiku’s repeated attempts to become president, saying his political history should be considered alongside his criticism of the current administration.

“Nigerians will answer in 2027: TINUBU AGAIN. Atiku, you contested since 1993 — 33 years, seven attempts, seven failures. 2027 will be eighth failure,” the statement said.

Concluding its response, the APC-NSMSG maintained that Tinubu had inherited significant economic and security challenges and was implementing policies aimed at addressing them.

The group described the Kaduna gathering as an indication of continued support for the president, insisting that the 2027 election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess his administration against its promises and compare its record with those of other political leaders.