ADC Demands Tinubu’s Scorecard on 2023 Campaign Promises Before Second-Term Bid

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for his unfulfilled campaign promises in 2023 before seeking re-election in 2027.

The party accused Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of presenting fresh promises in their newly unveiled 2027 manifesto without explaining why several commitments made during the 2023 election campaign had not been fulfilled.

The ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this in a statement, insisting that Nigerians deserved a comprehensive assessment of the President’s performance rather than another set of electoral promises.

The opposition party cited Tinubu’s pledge to extend health insurance coverage to 40 per cent of Nigerians within two years and create one million jobs in the information and communications technology sector within 24 months.

According to the ADC, the administration has covered barely one in 10 Nigerians with health insurance, while government figures indicate that only about 15,000 jobs and opportunity pathways have been recorded. It also alleged that the health insurance target had been shifted to 2031.

The party further questioned the administration’s performance in the power sector, recalling that the APC had described electricity generation of 4,500 megawatts as inadequate in 2023, while its new manifesto acknowledged an average generation of 4,022 megawatts.

“How does a government campaign to solve a crisis it has made remarkably worse?” the party asked.

The ADC also accused the administration of failing to ease the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, claiming that poverty had risen to 63 per cent and the N70,000 minimum wage had lost more than a quarter of its purchasing power.

It equally criticised Tinubu’s proposed programme for his first 100 days in office if re-elected, arguing that the President already possessed the constitutional authority to implement the proposed measures without waiting for another electoral mandate.

“The President already has the powers to address these issues but has failed to act. Why should Nigerians wait for another election before he does what he can do now?” the party queried.

The ADC maintained that Nigerians should be told which of Tinubu’s previous commitments had been fulfilled, which remained outstanding and why the administration failed to meet its stated targets.

“A manifesto is a promise of what a party will do. A record is evidence of what it has done. After eleven years, the APC cannot keep presenting promises as a substitute for performance,” the statement added.

The party insisted that the 2027 general election should focus on evaluating Tinubu’s record since assuming office in May 2023, rather than allowing the APC to present its administration as though it were seeking a fresh start.

It therefore called on the President to publish a detailed report on his 2023 campaign commitments and explain the reasons behind the postponement of some of the targets.