The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of being disconnected from the realities facing ordinary Nigerians, following comments by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga that he does not see the level of hunger and hardship being reported across the country.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party described Onanuga’s remarks as insensitive and reflective of what it called the prevailing mindset within the current administration.
According to the ADC, the comments amount to an admission that the government is increasingly detached from the struggles of millions of Nigerians grappling with rising living costs and worsening economic conditions.
“Those comments are not merely insensitive; they are a startling admission of how disconnected the APC government has become from the realities of the people it governs,” Abdullahi said.
The party argued that the hardship being experienced across the country is evident and cannot be dismissed as exaggerated or politically motivated.
“When over 80 per cent of Nigerians are struggling to feed their families, pay school fees, afford transportation and keep their businesses alive, it is extraordinary that a senior presidential spokesman can publicly suggest that the hardship is somehow overstated or even contrived,” the statement said.
The ADC blamed the country’s economic challenges on what it described as poorly conceived and badly implemented policies introduced by the Tinubu government since assuming office in May 2023.
“The truth is that Nigerians are not faking their suffering. The unprecedented cost-of-living crisis confronting the country today is the direct result of the ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policies of the Tinubu administration, which have thrown millions more into acute poverty since this government came to power,” Abdullahi stated.
The party noted that soaring food prices, rising transportation costs, declining purchasing power and worsening poverty have become part of daily life for many households.
“This is not opposition propaganda. It is the daily lived experience of ordinary Nigerians in every state of the federation,” the statement added.
The ADC further argued that the comments revealed a government insulated from realities outside official circles and unable to appreciate the impact of its policies on citizens.
“A sensible government does not measure the effects of its policies by merely looking at the people within its immediate circle or driving through paved roads. It must listen to the people in the markets, on the farms, in the classrooms, in the workshops and in the streets,” Abdullahi said.
“If the presidency genuinely cannot see the hunger and hardship that Nigerians are talking about, then it raises serious questions about whether it sees the people at all.”
While acknowledging that the administration may point to ongoing infrastructure projects as evidence of progress, the ADC insisted that economic well-being remains the most important measure of governance.
“The APC government will undoubtedly point to road infrastructure projects as its achievements. While even this is debatable, the fact remains that Nigerians cannot eat roads.
“The first responsibility of any government is to create economic conditions in which citizens can afford food, find jobs, run businesses and live with dignity. On this most fundamental test, the Tinubu administration has failed,” the statement added.
The opposition party maintained that the debate was no longer about whether Nigerians were experiencing hardship but whether the government was willing to acknowledge the consequences of its policies.
“The question is no longer whether Nigerians are suffering; Nigerians already know that they are. The real question is whether this government is prepared to acknowledge the consequences of its policies and accept responsibility for its historic failures,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC’s reaction follows recent comments by Onanuga, who challenged widespread narratives about hunger and hardship in the country, insisting that available economic indicators and ongoing government interventions paint a more positive picture of the economy.
The exchange comes amid continuing public debate over the impact of the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market, policies that government officials argue are necessary for long-term economic stability but which have also triggered sharp increases in the cost of living.
