With less than a month to Nigeria’s general election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should not even be on the ballot. If the APC had any sense of dignity, character, or shame, it would have approached the electoral commission in the past two years, as Nigerians began to focus on the 2023 elections, and requested to withdraw from participation. It is illogical for the APC to consider itself worthy of leadership in 2023, especially when it previously argued that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was unworthy of governance.
In 2015, the APC criticized the political manifestos of previous parties, stating, “In the past, political manifestos in Nigeria were hardly different from mere platitudes and general statements to which parties could not be held accountable.” The APC claimed its manifesto was different, outlining six priority areas: National Security, Good Governance, and Human Capital Development, among others. The party promised immediate relief from the hardships imposed by 16 years of PDP rule, recovery of diminished institutions, and reforms to restructure governance for a better future. It also presented what it called “An Honest Contract with Nigeria,” emphasizing the need to move forward from the failed policies of the PDP.
Among its numerous promises, the APC pledged to create three million new jobs annually, provide healthcare for all, and guarantee free education. It claimed it would triple education spending over ten years, increasing it from 6.5% to 24.5%. However, five years later, education spending in the current budget stands at a mere 6.7%. The APC also vowed to increase federal healthcare spending from 5.5% to 10%, aiming for 15% by 2020. This promise was similarly unfulfilled, as the health sector received only 4.14% in 2020, 4.7% in 2022, and 5.7% in 2023.
On the issue of corruption, the APC promised to create a functionally independent anti-corruption agency with full prosecutorial powers and to end immunity from prosecution for sitting politicians. Upon welcoming the APC following its formation in February 2013, I urged the party to recognize that it would be held to a higher standard than the PDP, given its self-proclaimed superiority. I challenged the APC to establish clear public standards and demonstrate that it intended to serve the nation rather than its members. Unfortunately, the party has failed to honor any of these commitments and has instead led Nigeria into a deeper state of deterioration than the PDP ever did.
Corruption has surged in every aspect of official life in Nigeria, culminating in the party primaries of 2022, which openly showcased transactional politics and the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the APC candidate. Mr. Tinubu is now known globally for the opacity of his track record and various issues of personal character, including allegations of corruption and a conviction for drug offenses in the United States. In 2018, the late Yinka Odumakin described in a four-part profile the qualities that Nigerians should avoid in Tinubu. During his 2015 campaign, Buhari asked Nigerians to “Allow me to prove to you that in our lifetime you and your country can be proud of this country.” Eight years later, one must ask: where is that country now? It is astonishing that a man whose leadership potential is questionable is the APC’s presidential candidate and prospective successor to Buhari.
Under the APC’s governance since 2015, being Nigerian has become a source of shame and embarrassment. For every mile of infrastructure built, such as the Lagos light rail commissioned last week, there is an Abuja light rail, commissioned just four years ago, that no longer functions. For every high school teacher or government clerk prosecuted for corruption by the EFCC, there are numerous APC governors and ministers who remain untouched. For every new airport terminal built, several older ones are deteriorating. Over the years, jobs and companies have fled Nigeria in droves, and insecurity has escalated across the country. The APC’s promises have turned into hollow rhetoric, as it continues to operate with a fleet of presidential jets while failing to deliver on its commitments.
The turmoil in Nigeria is evident, with the presidency dismissing the chairman of the EFCC without transparency and selling off recovered assets without disclosure. It is no surprise that the APC seeks to maintain power, as it has more to hide than the PDP did in 2015. At that time, the APC successfully marketed the idea of CHANGE, which many Nigerians bought into. Now, it is imperative that Nigerians reject the APC at both the national and local levels. Unless one harbors a deep self-loathing or is a masochist, it is clear that the same treatment applied to the PDP in 2015 must now be directed at the APC.
This advocacy does not imply that the PDP should replace the APC. In previous columns, I have argued that both parties are sides of the same coin, which I refer to as ‘APDPC.’ They are cynical and conniving political entities that lack honor, patriotism, or genuine value. Anyone who seeks the advancement of Nigeria should reject both parties to avoid the detrimental consequences they have perpetuated over the past 24 years. Ultimately, who you vote for is your choice, but unless you wish to endure another generation of hardship, neither the APC nor the PDP can be your option in 2023. Instead, use them as a cautionary tale. Save yourself.
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