The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to either abandon what it described as his “neoliberal economic policies” or resign.
The opposition party said Nigerians can no longer continue under the current economic situation.
The ADC made its position known in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
The opposition party said it was worried by recent reports showing that more Nigerians are falling into poverty and hunger, adding that the country’s economic policies had failed to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
The ADC said it was deeply concerned by a recent World Bank report, which showed that 139 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line.
CityNews reports that the party also referred to a report by the World Food Programme, which it said revealed that 17 million Nigerians are facing severe hunger.
According to the statement, the reports show that many Nigerians are struggling to survive despite the government’s claims of economic progress.
‘Government’s Policies Have Failed’
The ADC said the reports were clear evidence that the Tinubu administration’s economic policies had failed and could have even worse consequences if the President remains in office beyond 2027.
The statement read, “These reports were stark evidence that the present administration’s economic policies have failed and are likely to deliver even more catastrophic consequences if President Tinubu continues in office beyond 2027.”
The party added that the current hardship was the result of policies that placed greater importance on economic figures than on the welfare of Nigerians.
According to the ADC, “This catastrophic situation is the inevitable consequence of economic policies that have favoured money over people and statistics over survival.”
The opposition party said it had consistently warned that economic growth, increased government revenue and rising foreign reserves would mean little if they did not improve the lives of Nigerians.
It accused the government of refusing to change direction despite the hardship facing millions of citizens.
According to the statement, “Instead of changing course, the government has stubbornly stuck with its ruinous economic policies and even continues to market recklessness as courage and wickedness as ‘necessary pains.’”
The party added, “Three years down the line, it is now clear that the chicken has come home to roost.”
ADC Asks Tinubu To Resign
The party argued that the growing poverty and hunger in the country reflected the performance of the current administration.
It said, “The evidence of 139 million people living in poverty and 17 million at the risk of starvation is President Tinubu’s scorecard. On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election.”
The ADC added that Nigerians needed leaders who understand the daily struggles of the people and are committed to improving their lives.
According to the statement, “What Nigeria desperately needs is a President and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.”
The party also criticised what it described as wasteful government spending while many Nigerians continue to face hardship.
It said, “A President whose government is not openly feasting while asking the people to continue fasting. A government that does not wallow in profligacy while handing the people palliatives.”
The party said temporary relief programmes would not solve Nigeria’s economic problems.
According to the statement, “Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes, and live with dignity.”
It said an ADC government would focus on long-term reforms aimed at tackling the root causes of poverty and hunger.
“We will secure farming communities and agricultural corridors so that farmers can return to their land without fear, cultivate throughout the farming season and transport their produce safely and affordably to markets. No nation can achieve food security while insecurity keeps farmers away from their farms,” the party said.
The ADC said the debate over Nigeria’s economy should not be about competing economic theories but about improving the lives of citizens.
The statement concluded, “The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories. It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people. Hunger is the most honest measure of economic performance because it cannot be manipulated.”
