‎By Ahmed Akanbi

‎The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either abandon his economic policies or resign, blaming the administration for rising poverty and hunger nationwide.

‎The opposition party said the call became necessary following recent reports by the World Bank and the World Food Programme (WFP), which painted a grim picture of Nigerians’ welfare under the current government.

‎In a statement issued weekend by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC cited the World Bank report indicating that about 139 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line.

‎The party also referenced the WFP estimate that 17 million Nigerians are facing acute hunger, warning that the numbers could worsen if government policies remain unchanged.

‎”The evidence of 139 million Nigerians living in poverty and 17 million facing 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.

‎The ADC faulted the Federal Government’s celebration of improved macroeconomic indicators such as increased revenue, GDP growth and rising foreign reserves.

‎It argued that such statistics mean little to ordinary Nigerians struggling with the cost of food and basic needs.

‎The party further criticised the reliance on palliative programmes, saying temporary handouts cannot address the country’s structural economic problems.

‎”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 ADC stated.

‎As an alternative, the party unveiled a food security agenda that includes tackling insecurity in farming communities, rehabilitating abandoned dams for irrigation, improving access to farm inputs and strengthening agricultural value chains.

‎The ADC also pledged to reduce energy costs, expand food production through regional agricultural belts, and invest more in education, healthcare and skills development to tackle the root causes of poverty.

‎The party insisted that the true measure of economic success is whether families can afford decent meals and live with dignity, not government figures.

‎The statement added to mounting criticism of the Tinubu administration’s reforms as political parties intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.