ADC Demands Tinubu Overhaul Economic Policies Amid Soaring Poverty

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has voiced profound alarm following recent reports from the World Bank, which indicate that a staggering 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line. This concerning figure, representing approximately 60% of the entire population, aligns with a separate report by the World Food Programme (WFP), highlighting that 17 million Nigerians are grappling with acute hunger, marking the most severe food security crisis the country has experienced in nearly a decade.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, articulated the party’s stance, asserting that these reports serve as undeniable evidence of the Tinubu administration’s failed economic policies. The party warned that a continuation of these policies could lead to even more catastrophic consequences, with projections suggesting nearly 200 million, or 79% of the population, could be nearing poverty if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains in office beyond 2027.

The ADC has vehemently called upon President Tinubu to abandon his neoliberal economic strategies, which they contend have devastated the lives of vast swathes of the population, or to step down. The party emphasized that Nigerians cannot endure this destructive trajectory. The ADC has consistently argued that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves frequently celebrated by the Tinubu-led APC government are meaningless if they do not translate into tangible improvements in people's lives or protect their livelihoods.

The party criticized the government for stubbornly adhering to its “ruinous economic policies,” accusing it of marketing recklessness as courage and wickedness as “necessary pains.” The ADC declared that after three years, the consequences are evident, citing the 139 million people in poverty and 17 million at risk of starvation as President Tinubu's scorecard. Based on this “catastrophic failure,” the ADC believes the President should contemplate resignation rather than seeking re-election.

The ADC stressed Nigeria’s desperate need for a President and government that genuinely comprehend and care about the populace. Such a government, they argue, would measure economic policy success by its ability to improve lives, not exacerbate misery. They condemned a government that “openly feasts while asking the people to continue fasting” and “wallows in profligacy while handing the people palliatives.”

Rejecting what it described as a cycle of temporary interventions and emergency responses that characterize the APC’s economic policies, the ADC stated its belief that poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. Instead, the party advocates for building an economy that empowers Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes, and live with dignity. An ADC government, Abdullahi outlined, would pursue structural reforms addressing the root causes of hunger, focusing on four key suggestions:

Firstly, the ADC proposes to reduce energy costs and enhance food production safety by securing farming communities and agricultural corridors. This would enable farmers to safely return to their land, cultivate throughout the season, and transport produce affordably to markets, recognizing that food security is impossible without secure farming.

Secondly, the party plans to increase domestic food production by prioritizing the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s 264 abandoned dams to expand year-round irrigation. It would also improve access to quality seeds, fertilizers, and extension services, alongside investments in storage, preservation, and agro-processing facilities to minimize post-harvest losses and boost market supply.

Thirdly, the ADC aims to construct an integrated national food economy. This would involve regional agricultural production belts where neighboring states coordinate production, processing, storage, transportation, and market access based on their comparative advantages. This approach would lower transport costs, reduce waste, strengthen agricultural value chains, bring down food prices, and create productive jobs in rural economies.

Finally, the ADC commits to investing in the Nigerian people. Acknowledging the inseparable links between hunger, poverty, education, and healthcare, an ADC government would prioritize nutrition, primary healthcare, quality basic education, and skills development. The party maintains that a prosperous economy cannot be built while millions of children are hungry, out of school, or lack basic literacy skills.