The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that it was “genuinely shocked and saddened” that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could criticise the opposition political parties despite the worsening economic hardship and insecurity under his government.
The ADC insisted that the Tinubu-led administration lacked the moral justification to accuse opposition parties of lacking ideas or direction at a time millions of Nigerians were battling economic hardship.
It pointedly accused Tinubu of plunging millions of Nigerians into deeper poverty, hunger and insecurity while dismissing the concerns of ordinary citizens.
The ADC therefore challenged President Tinubu to address pressing national concerns rather than engage in political rhetoric, stressing that the President must understand that Nigerians are no longer interested in speeches or political grandstanding.
This was as the ADC questioned the credibility of the reported 10.99 million votes secured by President Tinubu during the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) presidential primary, stressing that it found it bizarre that Tinubu was announced to have secured 10.99 million votes in the APC presidential primary.
“In a process designed for President Tinubu to contest against himself, one may be tempted to dismiss the figure as laughable, if it were not recognisable for what it truly represents,” ADC stressed.
These were contained in a statement by Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC in which he stressed that the opposition party finds it difficult to believe that Tinubu, whose administration is presiding over one of the most painful periods in Nigeria’s democratic history, would speak so dismissively about the opposition and the Nigerian people while awarding himself a medal for one of the most catastrophic economic policies in recent history.
According to the ADC; “It is both ironic and tragic that a government under whose watch nearly 35 million Nigerians are now projected to face acute food insecurity in 2026 would accuse the opposition of lacking ideas or vision”.
The opposition political party noted that inflation had eroded household incomes while food prices and insecurity continued to worsen across the country, stressing that yet, a government under which inflation has devastated household incomes is still trying to run away from responsibility.
The ADC further said; “Food prices have become unbearable, insecurity has continued to spread across the country, and millions of Nigerians now live with a level of economic anxiety and hopelessness never before experienced in recent national history.
“Under President Tinubu’s administration, millions of families have been forced to reduce meals, businesses are shutting down daily under unbearable economic pressure, and farmers across many parts of the country can no longer safely access their farmlands because of banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks,” it stated.
Referencing reports of international organisations, the ADC stressed that Nigeria was facing a severe food insecurity crisis, warning that millions could face acute hunger during the 2026 lean season.
The opposition pollical party also lamented the growing number of internally displaced persons across the country, particularly in the North-West and North-Central regions where communities continue to suffer attacks.
The ADC said; “Yet, instead of humility, accountability, or empathy, President Tinubu has chosen to attack an opposition that has consistently demonstrated more seriousness about governance than many members of his own administration.
“Nigerians know where they were before this government came into office, and they know where they are today,” it stated.
It insisted that the opposition should not be blamed whatsoever for the current economic and security challenges confronting the nation, stressing that the truth remains that the opposition did not create the hunger in the land.
In the words of the ADC; “The opposition did not destroy the value of the naira. The opposition did not create the insecurity that has turned farming communities into killing fields. The opposition did not push businesses into collapse or force millions of young Nigerians into despair and economic uncertainty.
“Nigerians understand clearly who is responsible for the hardship they are currently enduring, and no amount of political subterfuge can erase the reality of daily suffering across the country.
“Nigerians are asking simple questions: Why is food unaffordable? Why are businesses collapsing? Why are citizens increasingly unsafe? Why are more Nigerians falling into poverty despite endless promises of reform and recovery?” it asked.
While reaffirming its readiness to provide alternative leadership, the ADC stressed that Nigeria deserved better governance and assured that the opposition will move Nigeria forward.
The ADC said; “Nigeria cannot continue on this disastrous path of economic pain without measurable progress, worsening insecurity, institutional decline, and growing hopelessness.
“Nigerians deserve competent leadership, compassionate governance, and a government that understands that power exists to improve lives, not merely to retain control,” it stated.
