Nigerians must confront the harsh truth of APC's shortcomings, says ADC

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has fired back at the All Progressives Congress, APC, over its defence of the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu, arguing that these policies have led to a decline in living standards and pushed more Nigerians into poverty.

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The ADC's response highlights the escalating political debate surrounding the actual impact of the administration's economic reforms on the lives of ordinary Nigerians, with the APC having previously accused the opposition party of inciting Nigerians against the government.

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Newly cited poverty figures and opinion surveys, according to the ADC, demonstrate that millions of Nigerians are struggling with increased hardship since the removal of the petrol subsidy, contradicting the APC's claims that the reforms are yielding positive results.

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In a statement, the ADC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, rejected the APC's accusations, stating that the statistics referenced were drawn from independent reports and surveys, and thus could not be dismissed by press statements.

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Abdullahi noted that the independent report that sparked the debate reveals Nigeria's poverty rate has risen to 63 percent, up from about 50 percent before the removal of the petrol subsidy, resulting in tens of millions of additional Nigerians being pushed into poverty.

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The ADC also pointed out that the impact of the reforms is evident in the sharp increase in fuel prices across the country, which has placed significant pressure on everyday living costs, with fuel prices surging by almost 500 percent, from about N255 per litre in May 2023 to around N1,500 per litre today.

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According to the ADC, independent surveys show that 93 percent of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 88 percent describe the national economy as bad, and 74 percent say their personal living conditions are poor, reflecting the views of Nigerians themselves, including APC members.

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The ADC also countered the APC's claim that the hardship Nigerians are experiencing is temporary, citing survey figures that suggest many citizens are struggling to meet basic needs, with 82 percent of Nigerians reporting they have gone without enough food at least once in the past year.

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The ADC further argued that the APC's claim that the money previously spent on fuel subsidy is being redirected to vital sectors such as healthcare and social development is not supported by evidence, with only N36 million, or about 0.02 percent of the capital budget, actually released for capital projects in 2025 for Nigeria's entire federal healthcare sector.

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The ADC posed a question to the APC, asking where exactly the subsidy savings are going, given that local contractors are not being paid and universities remain poorly equipped, despite the claimed redirection of funds to critical sectors.