The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rebuked the presidency over comments downplaying the economic hardship in the country.
According to the opposition party, the current cost-of-living crisis is a direct result of poor governance.
The reaction follows a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday.
While defending the administration’s economic policies, Onanuga claimed that he does not see the level of hunger Nigerians are complaining about, adding that he frequently asks his private workers how they are surviving and adjusting, and noting that the government has increased the minimum wage by more than 100 percent.
Responding to the presidency on Wednesday, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the presidential spokesman’s remarks as a startling admission of how disconnected the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government has become from reality.
Abdullahi argued that the unprecedented financial distress across the country is the daily lived experience of ordinary citizens, driven by the ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
He noted that after three years of promises, excuses, and appeals for patience, the reality for 62 percent of Nigerians is that life is harder today than it was when the government took office.
Abdullahi stated: “Mr Bayo Onanuga’s 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. When over 80% 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 truth is that Nigerians are not faking their suffering.”
The opposition party further argued that the presidency cannot measure the success of its policies by looking only at its immediate circle or highlighting infrastructure projects, emphasizing that “Nigerians cannot eat roads.”
The ADC maintained that a sensible government must listen to the people in the markets, farms, workshops, and streets rather than isolating itself from public struggles.
“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 real question is whether this government is prepared to acknowledge the consequences of its policies and accept responsibility for its historic failures. Until it does, comments such as those made by Mr. Onanuga will only reinforce the growing perception that the APC government is out of touch with the people.”