The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the President Bola Tinubu administration over what it described as seeking external validation over the wellbeing of those it governs.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Saturday, the party said the new poverty figures reflect the growing hardship faced by millions of Nigerians since the removal of petrol subsidy.
It economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the reported rise in Nigeria’s poverty rate to 63 percent shows that the administration’s policies have failed to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
The party described the report as a damning verdict on the government’s economic approach.
ADC argued that many Nigerians are already feeling the impact in their daily lives.
According to the ADC, the increase in poverty only confirms what citizens across the country have been experiencing, including rising cost of living and declining purchasing power.
“The report, presented at a policy dialogue in Abuja Thursday indicated that poverty in Nigeria rose sharply from about 50 percent before the subsidy removal to 63 percent afterward, as higher fuel and transport costs spread through the economy and drove up the prices of food, transportation, and other basic necessities.
“This verdict reflects the real consequences of the APC government’s hasty removal of fuel subsidy without giving full consideration to how such a serious decision would impact on the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.”
The party also questioned the government’s earlier justification that funds saved from subsidy removal would be redirected to important sectors such as health and education.
“Government repeatedly said the removal of subsidy would allow more resources to be invested in critical sectors like health and education. However, three years later, none of these sectors appears to be better funded, and citizens have not seen any real benefit from the policy,” the statement added.
The ADC also cited independent surveys showing widespread dissatisfaction among Nigerians about the current direction of the country.
According to the party, about 93 percent of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction under President Tinubu.
It added that 88 percent describe the national economy as bad, while 74 percent say their personal living conditions are poor.
“These are not just numbers. They represent the voices of millions of Nigerians who are currently under intense economic pressure,” the party said.
The party further stated that many Nigerians now struggle to meet their basic needs, with many households experiencing periods without essential items.
“There is also mounting evidence of widespread deprivation. A large majority of Nigerians report going without basic necessities such as food, clean water, medical care, cooking fuel, and even cash income at different times during the past year.
“For millions of households, economic hardship is no longer a temporary difficulty, it has become daily reality. This is what happens when government is more concerned with external validation than the well-being of its own people.
The ADC stressed that the success of any economic policy should be judged by how much it improves the lives of ordinary citizens and protects the most vulnerable members of society.
“The real test of any economic policy is whether it makes life better for the majority of citizens and protects the most vulnerable.
“On this score, the APC government has failed.,” the party said.
