ADC has joined the growing calls demanding for Tinubu’s resignation amid rising poverty and hunger across Nigeria.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has blamed the rising levels of poverty and hunger in Nigeria on the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, urging the President to reverse course or resign from office.
The opposition party said recent reports by the World Bank and the World Food Programme (WFP) indicate that the government’s economic reforms have failed to improve the living conditions of Nigerians despite official claims of economic recovery.
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In a statement issued on Saturday, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the reports paint a grim picture of the country’s socio-economic reality.
According to the party, the World Bank estimates that about 139 million Nigerians, representing roughly 60 per cent of the population, now live below the national poverty line, while the WFP estimates that 17 million Nigerians are experiencing acute hunger.
The ADC argued that the figures reflect the consequences of policies that have prioritised economic indicators over the welfare of citizens.
“The recent reports by the World Bank indicating that 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line are hardly surprising, as this catastrophic situation is the inevitable consequence of economic policies that have favoured money over people and statistics over survival,” the statement read.
The opposition party maintained that improvements in government revenue, economic growth and foreign reserves have not translated into better living standards for ordinary Nigerians.
It accused the Tinubu administration of persisting with policies that have worsened economic hardship while presenting them as necessary sacrifices.
According to the ADC, the latest poverty and hunger figures should prompt the Federal Government to reassess its economic direction.
The party further argued that, given what it described as the administration’s poor economic performance after three years in office, President Tinubu should be considering a policy reversal or stepping down rather than seeking re-election.
The ADC said Nigeria needs an economic strategy focused on reducing poverty, creating jobs and improving citizens’ welfare instead of celebrating macroeconomic statistics.
It also criticised the government’s reliance on palliative programmes, insisting that temporary interventions cannot provide lasting solutions to poverty and food insecurity.
As part of its alternative agenda, the party pledged to lower energy costs, improve security in farming communities, rehabilitate Nigeria’s 264 abandoned dams to boost irrigation, expand access to quality seeds and fertilisers, strengthen agricultural extension services, invest in storage and agro-processing facilities, and develop regional agricultural production belts to improve food supply and reduce prices.
The ADC also promised increased investments in nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development, arguing that sustainable economic growth must be measured by improvements in the quality of life of Nigerians.
The party concluded that hunger remains the clearest indicator of economic performance, stressing that claims of economic success will remain unconvincing as long as millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with poverty and food insecurity.
