Felix Morka, a key figure within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Nigeria’s current economic struggles, claiming that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari spent its eight-year tenure fixing the economic mess left by the PDP’s 16-year rule.
During an interview on Channels TV, Morka stated that the Buhari-led government, which governed from 2015 to 2023, was primarily occupied with cleaning up what he described as a “phantom economy” created by the PDP, which held power from 1999 to 2015.
According to Morka, the Buhari administration inherited an economy in disarray, where billions of naira meant for critical national projects were diverted into private pockets under PDP leadership, leaving the nation in a precarious financial position. He stressed that the root of the current economic hardship could be traced back to the PDP’s governance, during which public funds were mismanaged and critical sectors were neglected.
“The Buhari administration did nothing in eight years but clean and mop up the mess made by the PDP,” Morka asserted, emphasizing that the challenges facing the country today were not a result of APC’s governance but were “generationally constructed” problems stemming from the PDP era.
Morka argued that the current crisis, which includes inflation, unemployment, and a weakened currency, is the result of years of PDP mismanagement, and that Buhari’s government acted as a transitional regime, taking over a severely weakened economy and laying the groundwork for recovery.
He urged Nigerians to be patient with the current administration under President Bola Tinubu, who took office in May 2023, explaining that the process of correcting decades of economic mismanagement would take time. Morka expressed confidence that the Tinubu government would ultimately deliver on its promises, provided Nigerians remain patient and supportive.
In his defense of the Buhari administration, Morka contended that Buhari’s government made significant strides in cleaning up Nigeria’s finances and implementing policies aimed at long-term stability. However, he acknowledged that the impact of these reforms is still unfolding, and more time is needed for the benefits to fully materialize.
Morka’s comments come at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with worsening economic conditions, prompting debates about the performance of both the APC and PDP in managing the country’s economy. While APC leaders like Morka point to the missteps of the previous PDP administrations as the source of Nigeria’s economic woes, critics argue that the APC has had ample time to turn things around but has fallen short of expectations.
The question of who is to blame for Nigeria’s ongoing economic hardship remains a contentious issue, with both parties trading accusations as the country continues to seek solutions to its long-standing economic challenges.
Peoplesmind