Tinubu Outperformed All Past Presidents Since 1999, APC Spokesman Felix Morka Claims

In a move that has reignited intense national debate across Nigeria's socio-political spectrum, the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has asserted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outperformed all past Nigerian presidents during the initial phase of his administration. Speaking on a national television program, Morka defended the current administration’s aggressive economic reforms, describing them as unprecedented in the nation's democratic history. According to the APC scribe, Tinubu's bold decision-making has laid a foundation that none of his predecessors since the return to democracy in 1999 had the political courage to attempt.

Central to Morka's defense is the controversial removal of the premium motor spirit (PMS) subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market. These twin policies, while lauded by international financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as necessary fiscal corrections, have plunged millions of Nigerians into severe economic hardship. Morka, however, argued that these measures were not merely necessary but long overdue, claiming that previous administrations merely postponed the evil day at the expense of Nigeria's long-term fiscal survival.

Critics have quickly pointed out the apparent chronological slip in the ruling party's narrative, noting that President Tinubu is still in his first term and has yet to complete his initial four-year mandate. However, the ruling party's spin doctors are doubling down, framing the administration's first eighteen months as a period of structural revolution. The APC spokesperson emphasized that while the immediate pain of these policies is undeniable, the long-term gains are already manifesting in increased statutory allocations to the state governments and a steadier, albeit fragile, macroeconomic outlook.

This assertion comes at a highly sensitive time when public discontent over the soaring cost of living, food insecurity, and the devaluation of the Naira is at an all-time high. By setting up a direct comparison with past leaders, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, the APC appears to be executing a strategic offensive designed to reshape the public perception of the Tinubu presidency's performance metrics ahead of future electoral cycles.