Malam Lawal Batagarawa, a former Minister of State for Defence, has criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over its handling of Nigeria’s economy, during an interview with Daily Trust on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
Batagarawa, who is now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), spoke during a television programme monitored in Abuja.
He pointed to the collapse of rice production as evidence of what he called poor governance.
According to him, the Buhari administration had invested heavily in rice farming and processing during its eight years in power.
The goal was to boost food security, reduce imports, and create jobs for Nigerians.
Batagarawa explained that under Buhari, large sums of money went into supporting farmers and building processing plants.
He said the programme encouraged local production and gave hope to many young people in rural communities.
However, he noted that within two months of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government taking office, the entire system had collapsed.
He blamed this on a lack of capacity and commitment from the current leadership.
The ADC chieftain argued that government policies must be consistent if they are to succeed.
He said that investors and farmers need clear plans they can trust.
Without this, he warned, no sector of the economy can grow.
Batagarawa accused the APC of incompetence, saying the ruling party had failed to sustain policies that could benefit ordinary citizens.
He stressed that the collapse of rice production had worsened food insecurity and increased hardship in the country.
He said the failure also showed a lack of planning and seriousness on the part of the administration.
According to him, such lapses weaken confidence in government and discourage private investment.
”Buhari took a position on growing rice in Nigeria. Within two months of Tinubu government, the entire rice production system has collapsed. That’s how incompetent this government is,” he said. See, More, Here>>>
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