{
  "id": 18215196,
  "title": "2027: APC taking Nigeria backwards, Utomi tells voters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/2027-apc-taking-nigeria-backwards-utomi-tells-voters",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T00:48:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/2027-apc-taking-nigeria-backwards-utomi-tells-voters/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Political economist Prof. Pat Utomi has criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for taking Nigeria backwards, stating that the country's economic decline has eroded citizens' purchasing power and made once affordable goods unattainable. Utomi, a former presidential candidate, made this claim in a recent post on social media, distinguishing between economic stagnation and regression, and arguing that Nigeria is currently experiencing the latter under the APC-led government. To illustrate his point, Utomi used the example of a car, explaining that if a person who could afford a 2006 model in 2016 should still be able to afford a 2016 model in 2026 at the same level of financial standing, then a situation where they can no longer afford even the 2006 model in 2026 represents regression. Utomi contends that Nigeria's economic condition has deteriorated to the point where Nigerians are losing the purchasing power they once enjoyed, and he urged voters to use their ballots to reverse the country's current trajectory. He emphasized that bad leadership is not a life sentence and that Nigerians have the power to change the country's direction by voting out incompetent and corrupt leaders.",
  "summary": "Political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has accused the ruling APC of taking Nigeria backwards, saying the country is experiencing economic regression. Read More: https://punchng.com/2027-apc-taking-nigeria-backwards-utomi-tells-voters/",
  "key_points": [
    "Prof. Pat Utomi criticizes APC for taking Nigeria backwards",
    "Economic decline erodes citizens' purchasing power, goods become unaffordable",
    "Urges voters to change trajectory by voting out incompetent leaders"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The erosion of citizen purchasing power under the current administration turns the upcoming election into a critical referendum on whether voters will prioritize reversing economic regression through the ballot.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}