The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reverse his administration’s economic policies or resign, arguing that worsening poverty and hunger across the country reflect the failure of the government’s reform agenda.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party cited recent reports by the World Bank and the World Food Programme (WFP), which indicate that about 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line, while 17 million people face acute hunger.
According to the ADC, the reports underscore the devastating impact of the administration’s economic reforms, despite repeated government claims of economic recovery and improved macroeconomic indicators.
“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. This catastrophic situation is the inevitable consequence of economic policies that have favoured money over people and statistics over survival,” the statement said.
The party argued that while the Federal Government continues to celebrate rising revenues, economic growth and increased foreign reserves, such achievements have not translated into improved living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
It maintained that economic progress should be measured by tangible improvements in citizens’ welfare, rather than by statistical gains that fail to address rising hardship.
The ADC further accused the Tinubu administration of persisting with policies that have deepened economic hardship while portraying them as necessary sacrifices.
According to the party, the latest poverty and hunger figures represent a verdict on the administration’s performance after three years in office and should prompt a reassessment of its economic direction.
“It is time for the President to reflect on the consequences of these policies. Faced with what can only be described as a catastrophic failure, President Tinubu should be considering reversing course—or stepping aside—instead of preparing for another election,” the party said.
The opposition party also criticised the government’s reliance on palliative programmes, describing them as temporary measures that fail to address the structural causes of poverty and food insecurity.
As an alternative, the ADC proposed an economic agenda focused on reducing energy costs, improving security in farming communities and rehabilitating Nigeria’s 264 abandoned dams to boost irrigation farming.
The party also pledged to expand farmers’ access to quality seeds, fertilisers and agricultural extension services, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, establish regional agricultural production belts to strengthen food distribution and reduce prices, and increase investments in healthcare, education, nutrition and skills development.
The ADC stressed that the success of any government should ultimately be judged by its ability to reduce poverty, create jobs and improve the quality of life of its citizens.
“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.
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