APC spokesman Felix Morka says Tinubu’s performance has surpassed every elected Nigerian president in his first term, citing economic reforms and indicators
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outperformed every democratically elected Nigerian president during their first terms, citing economic indicators and the impact of the administration’s reforms.
Also read: Melaye Accuses Tinubu, APC of ‘Desperation’ Over Adedeji Campaign Role
Morka made the assertion on Monday, August 24, 2026, during an interview with Channels Television, where he defended the government’s economic record and argued that Tinubu inherited an economy in severe difficulty.
The claim comes as the Tinubu administration approaches the latter part of its first term, with economic reforms, rising living costs and the government’s record increasingly becoming central issues ahead of the 2027 general election.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outperformed any president in his first term. He has outperformed any democratically elected president in this country in their terms,” Morka said.
Asked to explain the basis for the assessment, the APC spokesman pointed to what he described as the country’s economic indicators.
“The indicators are res ipsa loquitur as we say in law; they speak for themselves. This president inherited an economy that was completely in a mess,” he said.
APC defends Tinubu’s economic record
Morka’s assessment reflects the APC’s broader defence of the administration’s economic programme, which has included the removal of the petrol subsidy, changes to foreign exchange policy, tax reforms and efforts to increase government revenue.
The government has consistently argued that the measures were necessary to address structural weaknesses that had accumulated over several years.
The reforms, however, have also generated considerable public criticism because of their effect on household purchasing power, food prices, transport costs and the general cost of living.
Morka nevertheless maintained that the administration’s performance should be assessed against the economic circumstances Tinubu inherited rather than solely through the immediate pressures experienced by households.
He argued that the country’s economic difficulties were the product of years of what he characterised as poor governance, particularly during the 16 years the Peoples Democratic Party controlled the Federal Government between 1999 and 2015.
Morka attacks previous administrations
In defending Tinubu, Morka also offered a pointed assessment of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, under whose government the APC controlled the country from 2015 to 2023.
Rather than presenting Buhari’s eight years in office as a major period of transformation, Morka described the former president’s role as essentially stabilising the country before Tinubu took over.
“Buhari was a stopgap president that really came to keep the country from tipping over the precipice from 16 years of horrific maladministration of the PDP government,” Morka said.
“President Buhari served his term, did his job to hold the country still for President Tinubu to enter.”
The comments amount to a strong defence of Tinubu while also placing distance between the current administration and some of the shortcomings associated with the APC’s previous eight years in power.
A claim likely to fuel political debate
Morka’s assertion that Tinubu has performed better than every elected president in their first terms is a political judgement rather than an established economic ranking.
Nigeria has had several elected presidents since the return to democratic rule in 1999, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu.
Each administration operated under different economic circumstances, including variations in oil prices, production levels, population growth, exchange rates, inflation, public debt and global economic conditions.
Comparing first-term performance therefore depends heavily on the indicators selected and the period used.
Morka did not provide a detailed comparative table showing how Tinubu’s administration had surpassed each predecessor across specific measures such as GDP growth, inflation, unemployment, poverty, public debt, oil production or foreign investment.
His argument was instead centred on what he described as broader economic indicators and the administration’s efforts to correct structural problems.
Economic reforms remain politically contentious
Tinubu’s government has maintained that its reforms are beginning to produce macroeconomic improvements, including stronger government revenues and greater stability in some economic indicators.
But the macroeconomic picture has coexisted with significant pressure on households.
The cost of food, transport, housing and other essential goods has remained a major concern for Nigerians, while the naira’s sharp adjustment since the beginning of the administration has affected businesses and consumers differently.
That tension is likely to remain central to the political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
For the APC, the challenge is to demonstrate that improvements in headline economic indicators are translating into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.
For the opposition, the same economic conditions provide an opportunity to argue that the administration’s reforms have imposed an excessive burden on households.
Morka’s comments therefore serve not only as a defence of the president’s record but also as a preview of one of the central arguments likely to shape the 2027 campaign.
The APC will seek to persuade voters that Tinubu’s difficult reforms are laying the foundations for a stronger economy.
Opposition parties are likely to counter that economic success should ultimately be measured by living standards and the ability of ordinary Nigerians to afford basic necessities.
With the election approaching, the competing interpretations of Tinubu’s record are likely to become increasingly prominent.
Also read: Melaye Accuses Tinubu, APC of ‘Desperation’ Over Adedeji Campaign Role
For Morka and the APC, however, the verdict is already clear: Tinubu’s first-term performance, he argues, has exceeded that of every elected Nigerian president before him.
