The All Progressives Congress has said President Bola Tinubu never promised to eradicate poverty within a specific period, urging Nigerians to assess his performance at the end of eight years in office.
The ruling party’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, said this during an interview on ARISE News on Tuesday, responding to questions about Tinubu’s 2023 campaign promises to tackle poverty and hunger, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
He argued that campaign promises involving long-term development objectives should not be treated as targets that must be achieved 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 maintained that Tinubu did not set a specific timeline for eradicating 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 cited the constitutional provision allowing presidents to seek re-election for a second four-year term, arguing that it provides an opportunity to continue implementing policies and reforms.
“There’s a reason the Constitution gave every elected president the possibility of a re-election. Four years in the first instance and a possibility if the citizens, the electorate, decide to re-elect that president to serve another four years. There’s a reason for that,” he said.
According to him, the first term allows a president to understand the country’s challenges and establish a direction, while a second term offers an opportunity to build on the initial efforts.
When asked when Nigerians should expect Tinubu to fulfil promises, including creating one million jobs in the digital economy, Morka questioned the demand for a timeline.
“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 Tinubu was seeking another four-year term to complete his administration’s work.
“At the end of eight years, you can, you can come here and have this conversation,” Morka said.