ADC Accuses APC of Ignoring Rising Poverty Under Tinubu

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the government of ignoring worsening poverty and economic hardship faced by Nigerians under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The accusations were contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.

According to the party, its earlier comments on the rising poverty level in the country were based on available data and the daily experiences of Nigerians.

“The ADC takes note of the ruling party’s response to our earlier statement on the rising poverty figures under the Bola Tinubu-led government,” the statement read.

The party accused the APC of avoiding the substantive issues raised and instead focusing on attacking the opposition.

“But instead of addressing the clear evidence that more Nigerians are falling into poverty under this government, the ruling party has chosen to attack the opposition and dismiss the lived realities of millions of citizens. Facts, however, cannot be dismissed by press statements,” the ADC stated.

The opposition party further claimed that recent independent reports indicate that Nigeria’s poverty rate has risen significantly since the removal of petrol subsidy.

“The independent report that triggered this debate shows that Nigeria’s poverty rate has risen to 63 percent, up from about 50 percent before the removal of petrol subsidy,” the statement added.

According to the ADC, the development suggests that tens of millions of additional Nigerians have been pushed into poverty since the implementation of the administration’s economic policies.

Citing survey data, the party also claimed that the majority of Nigerians believe the country is moving in the wrong direction.

“Independent surveys show that 93 percent of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. Eighty-eight percent describe the national economy as bad, while 74 percent say their personal living conditions are poor.

“These are not opposition talking points. They are the views of Nigerians themselves, APC members included,” it said.

The ADC also rejected the APC’s claim that the hardship currently being experienced by Nigerians is temporary.

“The APC also insists that the hardship Nigerians are experiencing is ‘transient.’ But the numbers tell a different story,” the statement added.

It cited survey findings indicating that 82 percent of Nigerians reported going without enough food at least once in the past year, while the same percentage lacked access to medical care. The party also claimed that 79 percent went without cooking fuel, 74 percent without clean water and 95 percent without a cash income at some point during the year.

The party further criticised the impact of rising fuel prices on the economy.

“The APC speaks proudly of macroeconomic indicators, but Nigerians live in a real economy where fuel prices have surged by almost 500 percent, from about N255 per litre in May 2023 when Tinubu came into office to around N1,500 per litre today in many parts of the country,” the statement said.

The ADC also alleged that government policies have negatively affected the food and agriculture sector.

“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,” it said, attributing the situation to policies that allegedly encourage import dependency.

The party further cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), stating that Nigeria’s food import bill had risen significantly.

“Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that Nigeria’s food import bill has jumped from N3.83 trillion in 2023 to N7.65 trillion today, an increase of about 100 percent,” it said.

The opposition party concluded by urging the government to prioritise policies that improve the welfare of citizens.

“Nigerians do not expect economic lectures or political attacks on the opposition. They expect policies that make their lives better,” the statement added.

“Until the APC-led Tinubu government begins to measure success by the well-being of its citizens, the gap between official claims and the living reality of Nigerians will only continue to widen.”