In a recent statement posted on his X handle, Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, highlighted the perceived political prowess of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) compared to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ahmad noted that former Presidents Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan refrained from criticizing ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, attributing this to their shared PDP affiliation.
Expressing concern over the tendency of some officials in President Bola Tinubu’s administration to continuously criticize Buhari’s government for the country’s current economic challenges, Ahmad emphasized the importance of acknowledging the achievements of the previous administration while discreetly addressing its shortcomings. He advocated for a more unified approach within the ruling party, emphasizing the need for full support for Tinubu’s policies and upcoming electoral endeavors.
“I often wonder why, as a government,” he stated on his post. “We concentrate more on amplifying the faults of the previous administration rather than acknowledging its numerous achievements. The PDP seems to have a more skilful approach to politics than we do in the APC. As Abdul’aziz has pointed out, it’s rare to find instances where President Yar’adua’s (PDP) government criticized President Obasanjo’s (PDP) or where President Jonathan’s (PDP) government faulted President Yar’adua’s (PDP).”
He went on to state, “There are numerous accomplishments from the previous administration that we could build upon while discreetly addressing its failures. This approach would bring up unity within the ruling party.”
He pointed out that, “Tinubu requires the full support of his party, not just for the upcoming 2027 elections but also for supporting his policies. We know no matter how good they may look, the opposition will always find a way to rubbish or undermine them just to distract our party from governance. Since May 2023, we seem to have provided more ammunition to our opponents rather than strategies to put them on the defensive, which would allow the government to focus more on continuing to deliver its best for the country.”
Ahmad urged the APC to adopt a strategy that focuses on putting the opposition on the defensive, allowing the government to concentrate on delivering its promises to the nation. He lamented the tendency of the APC to provide ammunition to its opponents rather than devising strategies to counter their criticisms effectively.
Furthermore, Ahmad criticized the lack of tangible achievements during the PDP’s 16-year tenure, particularly during the oil boom period, suggesting that this provided room for the opposition to undermine the APC’s governance.