The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his economic policies or resign from office instead of seeking re-election, citing the latest World Bank report which estimates that about 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line.
The opposition party made the call in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, following the release of the World Bank’s latest poverty assessment.
According to the ADC, the report—which estimates that nearly 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population lives below the national poverty line—reflects the impact of the Federal Government’s economic policies on the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
The party also referenced the World Food Programme’s (WFP) estimate that about 17 million Nigerians are facing acute hunger, arguing that the figures demonstrate the failure of the administration’s economic reforms despite official claims of recovery.
“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 statement read.
The ADC argued that while the Tinubu administration continues to highlight improvements in macroeconomic indicators such as increased government revenue, economic growth and rising foreign reserves, those gains have not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.
“The recent reports by the World Bank indicating that 139 million Nigerians or about 60 per cent of the population 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 party stated.
It maintained that it had consistently warned that economic growth and increased government revenue would remain meaningless unless they improved the welfare of citizens.
The opposition party accused the administration of persisting with policies that have deepened hardship while presenting them as necessary sacrifices.
According to the statement, instead of changing direction, the government has continued what it described as “ruinous economic policies” while portraying “recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”
The ADC said the latest poverty and hunger figures represent President Tinubu’s performance after three years in office and should prompt serious reflection by the administration.
It insisted that Nigeria needs a government that prioritises the well-being of its citizens rather than celebrating favourable economic statistics, stressing that the true measure of economic policy is its ability to reduce poverty, create jobs and improve living standards.
The party also criticised the Federal Government’s reliance on palliative programmes, arguing that temporary interventions cannot provide lasting solutions to poverty and food insecurity.
According to the ADC, sustainable progress can only be achieved through structural reforms that boost production, support agriculture and create enduring livelihoods.
As part of its proposed alternative agenda, the party pledged to reduce energy costs, improve security in farming communities and rehabilitate Nigeria’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation farming.
It also promised to improve access to quality seeds, fertilisers and agricultural extension services, invest in storage and agro-processing facilities, establish regional agricultural production belts and strengthen agricultural value chains to increase food production and lower food prices.
In addition, the ADC said it would prioritise investments in education, healthcare, nutrition and skills development, maintaining that sustainable economic growth depends on improving the quality of life of Nigerians rather than relying on temporary relief programmes.
The party concluded that economic performance should ultimately be judged by the living conditions of citizens, not by macroeconomic indicators alone.
“Hunger is the most honest measure of economic performance because it cannot be manipulated. Until fewer Nigerians go to bed hungry, until poverty begins to fall instead of rise, and until every Nigerian family can once again afford three decent meals a day, every claim of economic success will remain unrecognisable to the people whose lives those policies are supposed to improve,” the statement added.
