The African Democratic Congress has rejected accusations by the ruling All Progressives Congress that it is inciting Nigerians against the government, insisting that it is merely giving voice to the suffering and frustrations of ordinary citizens.
This was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi. The ADC defended its recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that the party’s statements are grounded in verifiable facts rather than political mischief.
The exchange began after the ADC issued an earlier statement drawing attention to rising poverty figures under the current administration. The APC responded by accusing the opposition party of attempting to stir up public anger against the government.
But Abdullahi made it clear that his party would not be silenced by such allegations.
“We are not inciting Nigerians, we are only speaking for them,” the ADC spokesman asserted.
He explained that the independent report which sparked the controversy showed that Nigeria’s poverty rate has climbed to 63 percent, a significant jump from approximately 50 percent before the removal of petrol subsidy.
“This means that tens of millions of additional Nigerians have been pushed into poverty in the period since the administration’s failed economic policies were introduced,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC spokesman challenged the APC’s claim that Nigerians support the government’s reforms, pointing to survey data that tells a different story.
“The APC claims Nigerians support its reforms, yet the data says otherwise. Independent surveys show that 93 per cent of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. Eighty-eight per cent describe the national economy as bad, while 74 per cent say their personal living conditions are poor. These are not opposition talking points. They are the views of Nigerians themselves, APC members included.”
Abdullahi took particular issue with the ruling party’s characterization of the current hardship as temporary or “transient.” He cited recent surveys to argue that the suffering is both widespread and deepening.
“Recent surveys show that 82 percent of Nigerians report going without enough food at least once in the past year, 82 per cent have gone without medical care, 79 per cent have gone without cooking fuel. 74 percent have gone without clean water, and 95 percent have gone without a cash income at some point during the year. These figures point not to temporary discomfort, but to widespread and deepening economic distress.”
The ADC spokesman also dismissed the APC’s focus on macroeconomic indicators, arguing that such metrics mean little to ordinary Nigerians struggling with basic survival.
“The APC speaks proudly of macroeconomic indicators, but Nigerians live in a real economy where fuel prices have surged by almost 500 per cent – from about N255 per litre in May 2023 when Tinubu came into office, to around N1,500 per litre today in many parts of this country. This is pushing up transport costs and driving food prices beyond the reach of millions of households.”
On the much-discussed subsidy savings, Abdullahi questioned where the funds are actually going. He noted that while the APC claims the money previously spent on fuel subsidy—amounting to roughly N6.4 trillion in savings last year alone—is being redirected to vital sectors, the evidence suggests otherwise.
“However, it is on record that only N36 million, just about 0.02 per cent of the capital budget, was actually released for capital projects in 2025 for Nigeria’s entire federal healthcare sector,” he revealed.
“Nigeria’s are, therefore, left to ask a simple question: if the subsidy savings are truly being redirected to critical sectors? Where exactly is all the money going? Why are local contractors not paid? Why are the universities still poorly equipped?”
The ADC further pointed to devastating effects on the agricultural sector, arguing that government policies have encouraged import dependency at the expense of local production.
“Latest reports have it that out of more than 150 rice mills across Nigeria, nearly 90 have shut down operations, while the remaining mills are operating at between 30 and 70 percent of their installed capacity, largely because the Tinubu administration’s policies have encouraged import dependency.”
To drive home the point, Abdullahi cited official data from the National Bureau of Statistics showing a dramatic increase in food imports.
“Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that Nigeria’s food import bill has jumped from N3.83 trillion in 2023, when President Tinubu came into office, to N7.65 trillion today, an increase of N3.82 trillion, or about 100 percent.”
He argued that this trend undermines domestic production and hurts Nigerian farmers and processors.
“This shows that instead of strengthening our local agricultural sector and protecting Nigerian farmers, the policies of the APC government are undermining domestic production and putting thousands of Nigerian farmers and processors out of business.”
Abdullahi emphasised that economic reforms must ultimately be judged by their real-world outcomes rather than government rhetoric.
“Economic reforms must ultimately be judged by their outcomes. When poverty rises from 50 percent to 63 percent, when nine out of ten Nigerians say the country is on the wrong path, and when millions struggle to afford basic necessities, it is clear that something is fundamentally wrong.”
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