The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either resign or change his economic policies immediately in response to the country’s escalating poverty and food insecurity.
Despite government assertions of economic recovery, the opposition party argued that new assessments from the World Bank and the World Food Programme (WFP) demonstrated that the economic changes enacted by the government had not improved the wellbeing of Nigerians.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the group believes that the government’s policies have had a catastrophic effect on the country, as shown by reports from the World Bank and the World Food Programme, which indicate that 17 million Nigerians are suffering from severe hunger and that 139 million live below the national poverty line.
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No suggestionsThe numbers, according to the party, proved that the economic policies of the Tinubu administration had been unsuccessful and may have far worse results if nothing was done.
It claimed that regular Nigerians’ living standards had not improved despite the Federal Government’s continual celebration of improvements in economic indices like revenue, growth, and foreign reserves.
The statement provided an explanation, saying, “It is not shocking that 139 million Nigerians, or approximately 60% of the population, now live below the national poverty line. This disastrous situation is the inevitable result of economic policies that have prioritised statistics over people and money over survival.”
The party claimed it had long since stressed that raising taxes and expanding the economy would accomplish nothing unless people’s living conditions improved.
The government was said to have continued measures that had made things worse while claiming they were essential sacrifices.
The ADC was upset that the government hadn’t changed its disastrous economic policies and that it kept selling immorality as bravery and irresponsibility as a necessary evil.
The party insisted that President Tinubu’s performance after three years in power should be prompted by the current poverty and hunger data, saying that they should cause serious reflection by the administration.
In light of what it termed a catastrophic failure, it went on to say that President Tinubu ought to think about quitting instead of running for re-election.
In their statement, the ADC said that the real measure of economic policies should be their capacity to alleviate poverty, generate employment opportunities, and enhance the general welfare of the people, and that this should be the primary focus of the Nigerian government rather than the celebration of economic numbers.
The opposition group said that short-term fixes would not be enough to eliminate food insecurity and poverty, and they chastised the government for depending on palliative programs.
It argued that the best way to alleviate poverty is through systemic changes that boost output, bolster agriculture, and establish stable livelihoods.
Reducing energy costs, improving security in farming areas, and rehabilitating Nigeria’s 264 abandoned dams to increase irrigation farming were among the party’s stated goals in its alternative economic plan.
In order to enhance food distribution and cut food prices, it also promised to invest in storage and agro-processing facilities, set up regional agricultural production belts, and boost access to quality seeds, fertilisers, and agricultural extension services.
To further its goal of addressing the causes of poverty and hunger, the ADC has pledged to focus investments in healthcare, education, nutrition, and skill development.
It said that government statistics should not be used as a yardstick for economic success but rather the quality of life improved for Nigerians.
Due to its immutability, hunger serves as the most reliable indicator of economic performance. Every claim of economic success will remain unrecognisable to the people whose lives those policies are supposed to improve until there is a decrease in the number of Nigerians going to bed hungry, a decrease in poverty instead of an increase, and every Nigerian family can again afford three decent meals a day,” the statement added.