They say before it gets better, it could get really worse but three years is a long time to be denied of any sort of succour.
Opposition party have blamed rising fuel price, food inflation and school fees on APC government, saysl8ng 2027 election will offer Nigerians a ‘clear choice’ between Tinubu’s ‘punishment’ and Atiku’s ‘relief programme’
For instance, The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of pushing Nigerians “dangerously close to the limits of human endurance” with its economic policies.
In a statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said that with petrol selling for as much as N1,470 per litre, transportation, food and basic education had become increasingly unaffordable for Nigerians.
“President Tinubu has turned the petrol pump into an instrument of punishment for everyday Nigerians,” the statement reads.
“Food, transportation, electricity, education, and everything Nigerians need to survive responds directly to the price of fuel and combine together to make life difficult for the majority of Nigerians.”
Abdullahi said reports of private schools increasing fees by between 30 and 40 percent, while incomes have not increased by a similar margin, are further evidence of the worsening economic conditions under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
The ADC spokesperson said the opposition party does not blame school proprietors for the fee increases, noting that they are themselves “struggling” with rising taxes, electricity bills, fuel costs, rent and salaries.
Nigerians Are in Dire Straits
Millions of Nigerians are facing severe economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, driven primarily by his landmark fiscal reforms. Since taking office in 2023, the government’s dual policies of removing the petrol subsidy and floating the Nigerian Naira have triggered unprecedented inflation, severely reducing the purchasing power of everyday citizens.
Petrol prices have risen dramatically from around N185 per litre before Tinubu took office to between N1,300 and N1,470 per litre. This has exponentially increased the cost of public transportation, electricity, and manufacturing.
Also, the price of staple foods has surged. Political opposition groups like the African Democratic Congress (ADC) point out that items like a bag of rice have multiplied in cost over recent years, leaving poor families spending roughly 70% of their income just on food.
Meanwhile, data highlighted by critics from institutions like the World Bank indicates that millions more Nigerians have fallen below the poverty line, with high inflation collapsing the effectiveness of previous social safety nets.
Abdullahi said the 2027 election would present Nigerians with a “clear choice” between continuing to endure President Tinubu’s “punishment” and embracing the “relief programme” proposed by Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate.
He also restated Atiku’s commitment to reducing the price of petrol by restoring subsidy to support domestic fuel production, which he said would ease the cost of food, transportation and production.
“Unlike Tinubu and APC, we recognise that economic reform must serve the people, not sacrifice them,” the statement reads.
“Nigeria cannot be an oil-producing country whose citizens see every visit to a filling station as punishment.”
“Our resilience must not become an excuse for continued cruelty. Tinubu has had enough time and inflicted enough [pain]. The people are suffering, businesses are dying, and hope is becoming increasingly expensive. President Tinubu must act now.
Don’t push Nigerians to their limits.”
