ADC: FG’s 90-day economic plan is election bait — Nigerians should reject it

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the federal government’s 90-day economic action plan as election bait, adding that its timing raises several questions, with the 2027 presidential election just around the corner.

The opposition party’s position was relayed during a news briefing on Friday by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communications of the ADC presidential campaign council, at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

The criticism followed the National Economic Council’s (NEC) endorsement of the 90-day plan, which the federal government says is designed to consolidate the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration and improve living conditions.

The plan, presented by Taiwo Oyedele, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, focuses on five priority areas: food affordability, tax harmonisation, completion of high-impact projects, removal of investment bottlenecks and regulated household support.

But Shaibu questioned the timing of the initiative, arguing that its 90-day implementation period could extend beyond the 2027 presidential election.

“The presidential election is 86 days away. Yet President Bola Tinubu’s National Economic Council has announced a cost-of-living plan that will run for 90 days,” Shaibu said.

“The arithmetic is plain: the plan ends after Nigerians have voted. After three and a half years of hardship, this government is asking families to carry another promise into the polling booth and wait for relief until the votes are counted.

“This is election bait. Tinubu is offering hungry Nigerians the promise of affordable food, but the promised relief comes with a deadline that outlasts the election.

“The message is simple: vote first; relief later. Nigerians should refuse the bait and judge this government by the three and a half years they have already lived through.”

ADC QUESTIONS COST-OF-LIVING RELIEF

The ADC campaign council criticised the administration’s handling of the cost-of-living crisis, citing the impact of rising prices on households and the difficulties faced by Nigerians in meeting basic needs.

Shaibu also questioned the government’s promotion of a petrol discount initiative by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), which was supposed to commence on October 1.

He alleged that he visited NNPC filling stations but was told that the advertised discount was unavailable, adding that he paid N1,405 per litre for petrol.

The campaign council demanded figures showing how many motorists had benefited from the discount and the extent to which transportation costs have been reduced.

It stated that Nigerians need verifiable evidence of economic relief rather than announcements of new initiatives.

The ADC campaign council said the administration should focus on policies capable of reducing production and transportation costs, supporting manufacturers and providing targeted relief to vulnerable households.

Shaibu said Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, favoured disciplined public spending and measures aimed at lowering the cost of doing business and easing the burden on ordinary Nigerians.

“Atiku Abubakar has pledged to make Nigeria affordable again through disciplined public spending, targeted relief for households, lower costs of producing and moving essential goods, and an economy where Nigerian manufacturers can expand and employ more people,” he said.

“Economic policy should be judged by what families can afford, not by how many deadlines a government announces.”

The opposition campaign council maintained that the government should provide clear details of its proposed household support programme, including eligibility criteria, implementation arrangements and accountability mechanisms.