The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s address at the party’s presidential campaign rally in Kaduna, arguing that the president only needed to appear at the event and seek Nigerians’ support for the 2027 election.
Morka made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, where he engaged in a heated exchange with the programme’s co-host, Rufai Oseni, over Tinubu’s speech and the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
The controversy followed criticism of the president’s address at the APC campaign flag-off in Kaduna on Saturday, where Tinubu blamed opposition politicians for the hunger and poverty in the country.
Defending the president, Morka said the rally was designed to bring together party leaders, members, supporters and other well-wishers to welcome Tinubu and formally launch his campaign, rather than serve as a platform for an extensive policy presentation.
He described the gathering as a “spectacular success”, insisting that the president’s presence and appeal for another term were sufficient to achieve its objectives.
“The rally was intended to bring together party members, leaders, supporters, and all the citizens of goodwill to Kaduna to welcome the president and flag off our presidential campaign. That event was incredible and was electric,” Morka said.
He added that Tinubu did not need to deliver an elaborate speech to make the event successful.
“All the president needed to do in Kaduna was to show up. Show up and say to people in Kaduna, you know, thank you for your hospitality. I appreciate your support.
“Please support me again in 2027. If that’s all he said, he did the job. And the issue of political or campaign strategy is not liable to your interpretation,” he said.
Morka’s comments came as Oseni questioned the APC spokesman about the state of the Nigerian economy under Tinubu’s administration, insisting that the discussion should address the hardship experienced by citizens.
The presenter challenged Morka to explain the economic situation rather than focus solely on defending the president’s campaign strategy.
In response, Morka maintained that the Kaduna rally was neither a policy summit nor a dialogue where Tinubu was expected to deliver a detailed policy speech.
He also took a swipe at critics he described as “opposition tribesmen dressed as journalists”, a remark that added to the tension during the live broadcast.
Oseni, however, insisted that Morka had failed to answer his question about the economy, maintaining that the president’s performance remained a legitimate subject of public scrutiny.
“You are yet to answer my question about the current state of Nigeria’s economy. Respond whenever you are ready to answer,” the presenter told the APC spokesman.
The exchange highlighted the disagreement between the two over the substance of Tinubu’s campaign message, with Morka emphasising the political purpose of the rally while Oseni sought explanations about the administration’s economic record.
At the Kaduna rally on Saturday, Tinubu defended his government’s performance and urged Nigerians to support his re-election bid, while attributing the country’s hunger and poverty to the opposition.
“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” the president said.
Tinubu’s comments have drawn attention to the role of economic conditions in the emerging contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as political parties prepare to persuade voters to support their candidates.
While Morka maintained that the president’s appearance and request for renewed support were enough to fulfil the purpose of the Kaduna rally, Oseni pressed for answers on the economic realities confronting Nigerians.
The exchange has further fuelled debate over whether campaign appearances should be judged primarily by their political objectives or by the substance of the messages delivered to voters, particularly on issues such as hunger, poverty and the cost of living.
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