PDP Slams Tinubu: 'Pharaoh, Not Moses' Amid Economic Crisis

The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day message, accusing him and his administration of presenting themselves as "Moses" leading Nigerians out of economic hardship. Conversely, the faction characterized President Tinubu as "the Pharaoh" who is pursuing Nigerians through a "Red Sea of economic pain," asserting that the economic difficulties faced by citizens have significantly worsened under the current All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration. This position was articulated by Comrade Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led PDP Interim National Working Committee, in an Independence Day statement.

The PDP faction was directly responding to President Tinubu’s Independence Day address, where he reflected on Nigeria's economic challenges and detailed his administration's policies aimed at improving citizens' welfare. According to the Turaki-led PDP, the President’s biblical allusion to the Israelites’ journey through the Red Sea was an attempt to portray himself as a liberator, guiding Nigerians from "slavery to freedom." However, the opposition faction argued that the actual economic realities confronting Nigerians depict a starkly different picture. They acknowledged the Presidency’s recognition that by 2023, "poverty was rising, and hope was nearly gone," but contended that many Nigerians now perceive their circumstances to have deteriorated further since May 29, 2023.

The party stated that the President’s directive for Nigerians "not to look back" was an attempt to avoid the truth, as citizens are currently grappling with escalating costs across various sectors, including rent, transportation, and education. Food prices, in particular, remain a critical indicator of the severe economic pressure on households. The Turaki-led PDP cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which indicated food inflation stood at 19.57 percent in August 2026. While acknowledging a potentially slower pace of inflation, the party emphasized that this figure still represents continuous increases in food prices, making the situation exceptionally challenging for families who allocate a substantial portion of their income to food. The statement poignantly noted, "For a family spending most of its income on food, these are not mere statistics; they mean empty plates or smaller portions."

Furthermore, the Turaki-led PDP lambasted the administration’s economic policies, specifically pointing to the high cost of borrowing, despite a recent reduction in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 26.5 percent to 23 percent. They argued that the prevailing interest rate remains excessively high, impeding the operational capacity and expansion potential of many businesses. The party accused the administration of presenting a "skewed narrative" rather than genuinely addressing the profound economic difficulties faced by Nigerians. The Turaki-led PDP asserted that Nigerians would prefer the economic conditions experienced in 2019 over their current circumstances, attributing this deterioration to what it labeled as the "reckless and insensitive economic policies" of the Tinubu administration.

In a powerful reversal of the President’s analogy, the PDP faction declared, "Tinubu and the APC are the Pharaoh who is chasing Nigerians." Looking ahead to the 2027 general election, the Turaki-led PDP expressed confidence that it would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to elect political leadership capable of effectively tackling the nation’s economic woes. "As the elections approach in 2027, Nigerians will have an opportunity to elect their Moses, who should save them from the Pharaoh and the economic pain that they are currently facing," the statement affirmed.

The party also criticized President Tinubu’s frequent travels and perceived detachment from the daily realities of ordinary Nigerians, contrasting this with the image of Moses being with his people. The Turaki-led PDP further accused the APC administration of exacerbating economic hardship, political polarization, insecurity, and undermining democratic consolidation. They underscored that Independence Day should serve as a crucial moment for reflection in anticipation of the 2027 elections, drawing a parallel between Nigeria's struggle for independence and the citizens' present determination to instigate a change in the country's political leadership. The party unequivocally rejected what it termed political "gimmicks and theatrics" aimed at influencing voters, including any attempts by the administration to portray itself as leading Nigerians from hardship to prosperity. The Turaki-led PDP concluded by expressing unwavering confidence that Nigerians would deliver their judgment at the 2027 polls, maintaining its biblical analogy that citizens would ultimately "escape the Red Sea and arrive in Canaan," with the "pursuing Pharaoh and his team" failing to make that journey with them.