The Peoples Democratic Party has rejected accusations that it is responsible for hunger in Nigeria. The party advised the ruling All Progressives Congress to stop the blame game. The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, issued a statement on Monday in Abuja.
The PDP governed Nigeria from 1999 to 2015. The APC took power in 2015 on a promise of change. In 2023, President Bola Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy and floated the naira. Inflation peaked at 33.2% in 2024. The World Bank estimates 63% of Nigerians live below the poverty line. The APC blames inherited problems. The PDP says ten years is enough time to fix them.
Mohammed said the PDP’s attention was drawn to a statement by the APC Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on News Central’s breakfast show. He said Morka blamed the PDP for the hunger and economic hardship facing Nigerians. He noted similar remarks by President Bola Tinubu in Kaduna during the flag-off of his 2027 re-election campaign. The PDP called the statements an attempt to evade responsibility.
“Our message to the APC is simple: stop the blame game and start taking responsibility,” Mohammed said. “Nigerians deserve solutions, not excuses.” He said the PDP is not responsible for the hunger Nigerians are experiencing. He said the APC must own its record.
He asked the APC to explain how it would make food affordable, support farmers and strengthen local food production. He asked how it would create jobs, improve security, fight corruption, improve electricity, reduce transport costs and restore purchasing power. He acknowledged some achievements of the Tinubu administration where applicable. But he rejected the use of the PDP’s 16 years as a blanket justification. “After more than 10 years of APC in office, Nigerians deserve answers, not excuses,” he said.
Winners: The PDP, which gains a campaign line. The opposition, which gains a narrative. Voters who want accountability. Losers: The APC, which faces criticism. The government, which must defend its record. Nigerians who face continued hardship. The political process, which is reduced to blame and counter-blame.
Bottom Line: The PDP says it did not cause the hunger. The APC says it inherited the problems. Both are partly right. Neither is enough. Ten years in power is a record. The election will judge it.