The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told Nigerians that poverty is a global phenomenon that predates President Bola Tinubu’s administration, arguing that successive governments failed to tackle its underlying causes.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated this during an appearance on Arise News while defending Tinubu against criticism over worsening economic hardship, rising food prices and declining purchasing power.

Morka argued that poverty was not created by the current administration, pointing to the failure of previous governments, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration between 1999 and 2015, to eliminate the problem.

He said Tinubu’s reference to the historical roots of poverty was not an attempt to avoid responsibility but an acknowledgement that the crisis had persisted across successive administrations.

The APC spokesman’s comments follow Tinubu’s recent accusation that opposition politicians were responsible for the hunger and poverty confronting Nigerians.

While defending the government, the party acknowledged that the removal of fuel subsidies and foreign exchange reforms had weakened purchasing power and increased the cost of living.

The debate comes amid widespread public concern over the affordability of food, transportation and other basic necessities, with Nigerians facing the immediate effects of rising household expenses.

Although the APC maintains that poverty is a longstanding problem, the administration continues to face scrutiny over the impact of its economic policies and its capacity to ease the hardship experienced by citizens.