The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu 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 and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described Onanuga’s remarks as insensitive and reflective of what it called the dominant mindset within the current administration.
According to the opposition party, the comments amounted to an admission that the government has become detached from the daily struggles of millions of Nigerians grappling with rising cost of living across the country.
The party nnotef that widespread economic hardship across the country is not exaggerated, insisting that soaring food prices, increased transportation costs, declining purchasing power and growing poverty are the direct consequences of the government’s negative economic policies.
“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 to publicly suggest that the hardship is somehow overstated or even contrived,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC maintained that the cost-of-living crisis confronting Nigerians has worsened since the Tinubu administration came into office, adding that millions of Nigerians who were previously managing to survive have now been pushed into economic distress.
The party further stated that Onanuga’s comments exposed what it described as a government that has become “tragically insular” and unable to appreciate the realities of the people it governs.
It argued that government performance should not be assessed based on what officials observe within their immediate circles, but through engagement with citizens in markets, farms, schools, workshops and communities across the country.
“If the Presidency genuinely cannot see the hunger and hardship that Nigerians are talking about, then it raises serious questions about whether it is in touch with the people at all,” the party stated.
While acknowledging that the government may point to infrastructure projects as evidence of achievement, the ADC insist that such projects do not address the immediate economic challenges confronting the citizens.
“Nigerians cannot eat roads,” the party said, arguing that the primary responsibility of government is to create economic conditions that enable citizens to afford basic necessities, secure jobs, operate businesses and live with dignity.
The opposition party claimed that after three years of the Tinubu administration, “living conditions have deteriorated for a majority of Nigerians, despite repeated assurances from government officials that economic reforms would eventually yield positive results”.
The party called on the federal government to acknowledge the negative impact of its policies and accept responsibility for what it described as their “adverse consequences”.
It warned that comments dismissing reports of widespread hardship would only reinforce public perceptions that the government is out of touch with the realities facing the ordinary Nigerians.
