The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration, labeling its most notable achievement as the deliberate “weaponization of poverty” across all sectors of Nigerian society.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary and former Cross River State governorship candidate, Dr. Effiong Efa Nyong, the ADC accused the federal government of plunging the country into widespread suffering, likening the current hardship to a “second wave of slavery.”

Nyong argued that under Tinubu’s leadership, the cost of living has escalated due to persistent hikes in tariffs across essential services such as electricity, transportation, healthcare, education, and communication. He condemned the surge in multiple taxation, describing it as excessive and now normalized under the current administration.

The statement pointed to Tinubu’s sudden removal of the fuel subsidy on his first day in office as the catalyst for the deepening hardship, criticizing the move as impulsive and reckless. The ADC claimed this singular decision marked the beginning of intensified economic suffering, particularly affecting the youth.

Reflecting on a decade of All Progressives Congress (APC) rule, Nyong described the period as one marred by “hardship without progress,” marked by abuses such as state intimidation, political scandals, judicial inconsistencies, and legislative compromises reminiscent of Animal Farm.

The party also accused the APC of downplaying the nation’s dire situation while coercing political opponents into defecting. The ADC questioned the fate of earlier promises of good governance and unity, asserting that after two years of Tinubu’s presidency, the economy is in ruins, families are falling apart, insecurity is rampant, and propaganda remains a constant feature of governance.

“Despite all this,” the statement concluded, “what this government does without fail is lie consistently and confidently.”