The African Democratic Congress has urged President Bola Tinubu to either abandon his current economic policies or resign from office, arguing that worsening poverty and hunger under his administration have become sufficient grounds for such action.The opposition party said the latest poverty and food security figures released by international development agencies showed that the administration’s economic reforms had failed to improve the welfare of ordinary Nigerians despite repeated claims of macroeconomic progress.In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said reports indicating that 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line and that millions more face acute hunger reflected the human cost of the Federal Government’s economic policies.“The evidence of 139m people living in poverty and 17m at the risk of starvation is President Tinubu’s scorecard.“On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election,” the statement read in part.The party argued that while the government continued to celebrate improved economic indicators such as revenue growth and foreign exchange reserves, those gains had not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.“The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. The opposition party said the latest poverty and food security figures released by international development agencies showed that the administration’s economic reforms had failed to improve the welfare of ordinary Nigerians despite repeated claims of macroeconomic progress.In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said reports indicating that 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line and that millions more face acute hunger reflected the human cost of the Federal Government’s economic policies.“The evidence of 139m people living in poverty and 17m at the risk of starvation is President Tinubu’s scorecard.“On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election,” the statement read in part.The party argued that while the government continued to celebrate improved economic indicators such as revenue growth and foreign exchange reserves, those gains had not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.“The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said reports indicating that 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line and that millions more face acute hunger reflected the human cost of the Federal Government’s economic policies.“The evidence of 139m people living in poverty and 17m at the risk of starvation is President Tinubu’s scorecard.“On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election,” the statement read in part.The party argued that while the government continued to celebrate improved economic indicators such as revenue growth and foreign exchange reserves, those gains had not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.“The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “The evidence of 139m people living in poverty and 17m at the risk of starvation is President Tinubu’s scorecard.“On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election,” the statement read in part.The party argued that while the government continued to celebrate improved economic indicators such as revenue growth and foreign exchange reserves, those gains had not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.“The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election,” the statement read in part.The party argued that while the government continued to celebrate improved economic indicators such as revenue growth and foreign exchange reserves, those gains had not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.“The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. The party argued that while the government continued to celebrate improved economic indicators such as revenue growth and foreign exchange reserves, those gains had not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.“The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “The ADC has repeatedly warned that the economic growth, increased revenue, and rising foreign reserves that the Tinubu-led APC government continues to celebrate are meaningless if they do not translate into better lives for the people or protect their livelihoods,” Abdullahi said.The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. The ADC also accused the government of persisting with what it described as “ruinous economic policies,” adding that it had continued to “market recklessness as courage and wickedness as necessary pains.”According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. According to the party, Nigeria needs “a president and a government that truly understand how the people feel and genuinely care about them.“The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “The true measure of any economic policy is whether it improves the lives of the people, not compounds their misery.”Related NewsHit the ground running, Gombe gov tells 23 new commissionersNCDMB, Renaissance begin 12-month oil, gas training for 300 NigeriansNigeria needs leaders with capacity for effective leadership — ClericThe ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. The ADC also dismissed the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes as inadequate, insisting that palliatives could not provide a lasting solution to poverty and food insecurity.“Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives. It can only be defeated by building an economy that enables Nigerians to produce more food, earn decent incomes and live with dignity,” the statement said.As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. As part of its alternative economic agenda, the party promised that an ADC-led government would prioritise security in farming communities, rehabilitate the country’s 264 abandoned dams to expand irrigation, improve farmers’ access to quality inputs and strengthen agricultural value chains to boost food production and lower prices.It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. It also pledged to develop regional agricultural production belts, reduce transportation costs, invest in storage and agro-processing infrastructure, and expand spending on nutrition, healthcare, education and skills development.“The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “The choice before Nigeria is no longer between competing economic theories.“It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. “It is between an economy that produces impressive government statistics and one that produces better lives for its people,” it added.The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. The latest criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange-rate liberalisation and tax policy changes introduced since May 2023.The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. The Federal Government has consistently defended the reforms, arguing that they were necessary to stabilise the economy after years of structural distortions. It has pointed to improvements in public revenue, stronger external reserves, increased investor confidence and a gradual easing of inflationary pressures as evidence that the measures are beginning to yield results.To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. To cushion the immediate effects of the reforms, the government has rolled out a range of social intervention programmes, including cash transfers, student loans, consumer credit initiatives, and support for small businesses and agriculture.However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. However, opposition parties, labour unions and several civil society organisations have maintained that the reforms have significantly increased the cost of living, weakened household purchasing power and pushed more Nigerians into poverty.