The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has sharply rebuked Senator Orji Uzor Kalu over his recent remarks on Nigeria’s economy and the strength of opposition parties, insisting that his comments were “politically detached from the realities Nigerians are enduring.”

In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Abdulmumin Ohiare Abdulsalam, the party accused the Abia North senator of attempting to sanitise the country’s economic challenges while dismissing the growing momentum of opposition movements.

The statement followed Kalu’s media briefing at the National Assembly complex, where he reportedly praised the economic direction of the current administration and suggested that opposition parties lacked the capacity to mount a serious challenge in future elections.

The NDC dismissed that claim as “wishful thinking dressed as political analysis,” insisting that opposition forces remain active, coordinated, and increasingly organised.

“There is no vacuum in the opposition space. What exists is strategic consolidation, not collapse,” the party stated, adding that political realignments were already underway across the country.

It further alleged that attempts to portray the ruling party as politically unchallenged were part of a broader effort to “manufacture dominance ahead of electoral contests.”

On the economy, the NDC painted a bleak picture, arguing that official optimism does not align with everyday hardship faced by citizens. It cited rising inflation, unemployment, currency pressure, high borrowing costs, and insecurity as indicators of what it described as “deep structural stress.”

According to the party, “factories are shutting down, investment inflows remain weak, and households are under unprecedented pressure,” adding that no political narrative can erase these realities.

The statement also challenged political actors defending government performance to present verifiable data to support claims of economic recovery.

The NDC urged Senator Kalu and other pro-government voices to exercise restraint in public commentary, warning against what it called “political speeches that trivialise national suffering.”

Reaffirming its position, the party said opposition groups are currently engaged in consultations and mobilisation efforts aimed at presenting a unified front in future elections.

“The opposition is not dormant. It is reorganising with purpose and preparing for democratic contestation,” the statement added.
Concluding, the party called for more honesty in national discourse, urging leaders to prioritise accountability over partisan narratives.