African Democratic Congress (ADC) has pushed back against the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its defence of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, which accused the opposition party of inciting Nigerians against the government.

It said petrol prices increased by nearly 500 per cent since Tinubu assumed office.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party rejected the accusation of incitement, insisting that the data showing Nigeria’s poverty rate rose to 63 per cent, from about 50 per cent before the removal of petrol subsidy, and the report showing that 93 per cent of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction are not opposition talking points, but publicly available reports that highlight the human cost of the administration’s economic policies and reflect the views of ordinary Nigerians who are living in hell under the APC government.

The statement reads: “ADC takes note of the ruling APC’s response to our earlier statement on the rising poverty figures under the Tinubu-led government. Instead of addressing the clear evidence that more Nigerians are falling into poverty under this government, the ruling party has chosen to attack the opposition and dismiss the lived realities of millions of citizens. Facts, however, cannot be dismissed by press statements.

“The independent report that triggered this debate shows that Nigeria’s poverty rate has risen to 63 per cent, from about 50 per cent before the removal of petrol subsidy. This means that tens of millions of additional Nigerians have been pushed into poverty in the period since the administration’s failed economic policies were introduced. The APC claims Nigerians support its reforms, yet the data says otherwise.”

ADC said the human cost of Tinubu and the APC’s failed policies is even more evident in the food and agriculture sector.

“Latest reports have it that out of more than 150 rice mills across Nigeria, nearly 90 have shut down operations, while the remaining mills are operating at between 30 and 70 per cent of their installed capacity, largely because the Tinubu administration’s policies have encouraged import dependency.”

It said official data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that Nigeria’s food import bill has jumped from N3.83 trillion in 2023, when Tinubu came into office, to N7.65 trillion today, an increase of N3.82 trillion (about 100 per cent).

“This shows that instead of strengthening our local agricultural sector and protecting Nigerian farmers, the policies of the APC government are undermining domestic production and putting thousands of Nigerian farmers and processors out of business.

“Economic reforms must ultimately be judged by their outcomes. When poverty rises from 50 per cent to 63 per cent, when nine out of 10 Nigerians say the country is on the wrong path, and when millions struggle to afford basic necessities, it is clear that something is fundamentally wrong.”

According to Abdullahi, petrol prices have risen sharply since Tinubu took office in May 2023. He claimed that the price of petrol increased from about N255 per litre to around N1,500 per litre in many parts of the country.

Saying that the increase pushed up transportation costs and food prices, he questioned how the reported N6.4 trillion savings from the removal of fuel subsidy are being utilised.

“Nigerians are therefore left to ask a simple question: if the subsidy savings are truly being redirected to critical sectors, where exactly is all the money going?” Abdullahi asked. “Why are local contractors not paid? Why are the universities still poorly equipped?”