The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to wait until President Bola Tinubu completes eight years in office before judging his performance, insisting that he never promised to end poverty within a fixed period.
APC spokesperson Felix Morka made this known during an interview on ARISE News on Tuesday while responding to questions about Tinubu’s 2023 campaign promises to fight poverty and hunger, create jobs and grow the economy.
Morka argued that long-term development goals cannot be treated as tasks that must be completed within a few years.
“When a president or anybody who is campaigning for office gives, you know, campaign speeches and sets objectives, they are liable to progressive realisation. They are not an event,” Morka said.
He insisted that Tinubu never gave Nigerians a specific deadline to eradicate poverty.
“The president never told you that in the first month or 100 days of my government or in the first two years or three years, I’m going to eradicate poverty. You didn’t say that in what you just read out. So, you know, let’s frame this in proper perspective,” he said.
Morka also pointed to the Constitution’s provision for a second four-year term, saying it gives elected presidents more time to carry out their plans. He said the first term helps a president understand the country’s problems, while the second allows further progress.
Asked when Tinubu would fulfil promises such as creating one million digital economy jobs, Morka questioned why he was expected to provide a deadline.
“I am surprised you’re asking me to give you a timeline. You were the one who came to say this president has not met or fulfilled the promises he made. You’re the one who said the time was too short,” he said.
He added that Nigerians could assess Tinubu’s performance after eight years.
“At the end of eight years, you can, you can come here and have this conversation,” Morka said.
