Nigeria’s African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply rejected the ruling All Progressives Congress’s (APC) defence of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, accusing the government of attacking critics while ignoring data showing deepening poverty and public discontent.
In a statement, the ADC countered the APC’s claim that opposition parties were inciting Nigerians against the administration. The party cited an independent report indicating Nigeria’s poverty rate has risen to 63 per cent, up from approximately 50 per cent before the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023. It also referenced surveys showing 93 per cent of Nigerians believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, with 88 per cent rating the economy as bad and 74 per cent describing their personal living conditions as poor.
The ADC argued these figures reflect lived experience, not opposition rhetoric. Party spokesman Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi highlighted that 82 per cent of Nigerians reported skipping meals, 82 per cent went without medical care, and 95 per cent lacked a cash income at some point in the past year. He characterised this as evidence of widespread, not transient, economic distress.
The party contrasted the APC’s focus on macroeconomic indicators with the “real economy,” noting fuel prices have surged nearly 500 per cent since the subsidy removal—from about N255 per litre to around N1,500 per litre—driving up transport and food costs. While the government claims subsidy savings are being redirected to vital sectors, the ADC pointed to only N36 million—0.02 per cent of the capital budget—released for federal healthcare in 2025, questioning the allocation of funds.
Further, the ADC criticised the impact on agriculture, citing the shutdown of nearly 90 of Nigeria’s 150 rice mills and a doubling of the food import bill from N3.83 trillion in 2023 to N7.65 trillion. It argued this undermines local production and increases dependency on imports.
The exchange underscores the political divide over the outcomes of Tinubu’s reforms. The ADC maintains that rising poverty, overwhelming public pessimism, and struggling essential sectors demonstrate policy failure, while the APC asserts its measures are necessary for long-term stability. The debate centres on whether short-term economic pain will yield sustainable growth, as millions of Nigerians face escalating hardship.
