Opinion: 100 Reasons to Question the APC Before Voting for It

The All Progressives Congress has controlled Nigeria’s federal government since 2015. After more than a decade in power, Nigerians have the right to judge the party by its record, its decisions, its leadership and the results delivered.

The Economy and Cost of Living

The APC has been in federal power for more than 11 years. This gives the party ample time to demonstrate its ability to govern.

Yet Nigeria experienced a recession in 2016 under the APC government. Another recession followed in 2020. GDP per capita has fallen substantially since 2015, according to World Bank data cited by Reuters.

The naira has lost enormous value during the APC era. This has severely reduced Nigerians’ purchasing power. Inflation reached extremely high levels during the APC years. Food prices have become unaffordable for millions of Nigerians.

Poverty remains extremely widespread. The IMF estimated that 63 per cent of Nigerians were living below the national poverty line in 2025. The IMF also estimated that 27 million Nigerians experienced food insecurity in late 2025.

Millions of Nigerians have been forced to reduce what they buy because of rising prices. Middle-class purchasing power has been severely squeezed. Low-income families have been hit disproportionately hard by inflation.

Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis has contributed to widespread public dissatisfaction. Nearly 80 per cent of Nigerians surveyed in a 2026 voter tracker reportedly said the country was going in the wrong direction, according to Reuters.

The APC has asked Nigerians to endure significant economic pain in anticipation of future benefits. But the promised benefits of economic reforms have not yet been felt equally by ordinary Nigerians. Economic growth figures do not automatically mean that household living standards are improving. After more than a decade of APC rule, voters can reasonably ask whether Nigerians are actually better off.

Fuel and Subsidy Removal

The Tinubu-led APC government removed the petrol subsidy almost immediately after taking office. The removal produced a major increase in petrol prices. This dramatically increased transportation costs.

Higher transportation costs contributed to higher food prices. The removal placed a heavy burden on low-income Nigerians. Government assistance did not immediately compensate most households for the size of the shock.

The APC effectively transferred a major cost previously absorbed by government onto consumers. Nigerians who depend on public transportation were particularly affected. Businesses faced higher logistics costs. The subsidy reform was economically significant, but its social consequences have been severe.

The Naira and Foreign Exchange

The APC government substantially changed Nigeria’s foreign-exchange regime. The resulting naira depreciation increased the price of imported goods. Imported medicines became more expensive. Imported machinery and industrial inputs became more expensive.

Businesses dependent on foreign exchange faced enormous cost increases. Students and families paying foreign expenses became particularly exposed to the weaker naira. Nigerians earning naira but paying for international services effectively lost purchasing power.

The exchange-rate crisis contributed to the wider cost-of-living crisis. The APC should be judged not merely by whether foreign investors welcomed the reforms, but by how ordinary Nigerians experienced them. The government still has to convince millions of Nigerians that the economic pain was worth the price.

Debt and Public Finances

Nigeria’s public debt has increased enormously during the APC era. Reuters reported that public debt rose from about N12.6 trillion at the end of 2015 to more than N159 trillion by March 2026. A large amount of government revenue now goes toward servicing debt.

The IMF estimated federal government interest payments at more than half of federal revenue in 2025 and 2026 projections. High debt-service costs reduce the resources available for health. They reduce resources available for education. They reduce resources available for infrastructure. They constrain government spending on social protection.

The APC therefore faces a difficult fiscal situation after more than a decade in power. Nigerians have the right to ask what tangible assets and economic transformation have been created in exchange for such a large debt burden.

Security

The APC came to power promising to defeat Boko Haram and improve national security. Yet terrorism remains a problem in parts of Nigeria. Banditry remains widespread. Kidnapping remains a major national problem.

Nigerians continue to be abducted for ransom. Farmers in insecure areas continue to face serious threats. Insecurity continues to disrupt agricultural production. This contributes to food insecurity. Communities continue to experience killings and displacement.

After more than a decade of APC federal government, Nigerians are still asking when they will be able to live and travel safely. The World Bank continues to identify banditry, kidnappings, insurgency and separatist violence among Nigeria’s major challenges.

Electricity and Infrastructure

The APC has not solved Nigeria’s electricity crisis. Millions of Nigerians still experience unreliable electricity. Businesses continue to rely heavily on generators. Generator dependence increases production costs.

Electricity problems make Nigerian businesses less competitive. Poor infrastructure continues to constrain economic productivity. Transport and logistics infrastructure gaps remain significant.

The World Bank continues to identify infrastructure gaps in electricity, transport and logistics as constraints on Nigeria’s productivity. Nigeria still struggles to convert its enormous energy resources into reliable electricity for its population. After more than a decade in federal power, the APC cannot reasonably ask Nigerians to judge its energy record solely on future promises.

Jobs, Youth and Brain Drain

Nigeria needs to create millions of quality jobs every year. The World Bank estimates that about 3.5 million people enter Nigeria’s labour force annually. This creates enormous pressure for job creation. Yet quality employment opportunities remain inadequate.

Many young Nigerians are turning to emigration in search of better opportunities. The continued “Japa” phenomenon represents a major loss of Nigerian human capital. Nigeria continues to lose trained doctors, nurses, engineers, academics and other professionals to other countries.

Young graduates face difficulty finding stable, well-paying employment. Entrepreneurship remains difficult because of high energy, financing and operating costs. The APC has not yet created an economy capable of absorbing Nigeria’s rapidly growing working-age population. Nigerians can reasonably ask why so many young people feel their best opportunity is to leave the country.

Corruption, Accountability and Governance

The APC came to power on a strong anti-corruption message. Yet corruption remains a major concern in Nigeria. Public procurement continues to require stronger transparency. Government spending requires stronger public scrutiny.

Nigerians deserve clearer explanations of how borrowed money is spent. Nigerians deserve stronger accountability for failed government projects. Government institutions need stronger internal controls.

After more than a decade of APC rule, Nigerians have every right to ask whether the party has delivered on its promises. The record shows a country with high debt, weak infrastructure, persistent insecurity and a cost-of-living crisis that has pushed millions into poverty. Voters must decide whether the APC deserves another chance or whether it is time for a new direction.

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