Abuja — A live interview on Arise TV turned heated on Tuesday as presenter Rufai Oseni and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka clashed over President Bola Tinubu’s remarks at a recent campaign rally in Kaduna and the state of Nigeria’s economy.
The confrontation occurred during Morka’s appearance on the programme, amid ongoing debate about the APC’s 2027 presidential campaign flag-off held in Kaduna on October 24. Oseni had earlier described Tinubu’s speech at the event as one of the worst campaign addresses he had heard, faulting the president’s team for inadequate preparation after nearly four years in office.
The argument began when Oseni pressed Morka on the current state of the Nigerian economy under the Tinubu administration and the hardship faced by many citizens. Instead of directly addressing economic indicators, Morka defended the president’s appearance and comments at the Kaduna rally.
Morka insisted there was nothing wrong with what Tinubu said. He argued that the rally was a political mobilisation event, not a policy summit or formal dialogue requiring a detailed policy speech. “All President Tinubu needed to do in Kaduna was show up and tell people to support him again,” Morka said. He further dismissed criticism, describing demands for more substance as an attempt to appease what he called “opposition tribesmen dressed as journalists.”
Oseni rejected the deflection, accusing the APC spokesman of dodging the core issue of economic hardship. He repeatedly interrupted Morka’s attempts to steer the conversation back to the rally and demanded a direct response.
“You are yet to answer my question about the current state of Nigeria’s economy. Respond whenever you are ready to answer,” Oseni told Morka during the tense exchange.
Clips of the sharp back-and-forth quickly spread on social media, drawing widespread attention. The clash comes as the APC ramps up its campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Tinubu seeking a second term, while public discourse continues to focus on the impact of economic reforms, including subsidy removal and the cost of living.
Morka has maintained that Nigerians who watched the Kaduna event can form their own judgments, while Oseni has consistently highlighted preparation and messaging concerns around the president’s first major campaign outing.
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