By
Hon. Rahman Owokoniran
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2026 New Year address to the nation was a joke and a waste of taxpayers time listening to political innuendos absolutely disconnecting from everyday realities of the people of Nigeria. While the speech presents an opportunity for the public to understand what the government has done with the budgetary constraints, people and the country has experienced over the last couple of years and how it has changed the country, the speech was a huge disappointment to many people who had hoped for a renewed peace, stable, secured and prosperous nation.
The president’s speech was another distraction from people’s realities of today’s Nigeria and its future. It was reduced to another political talk and propaganda deliberately aimed to distract the public. When would it be time for this government to stop this kind of nonsense and start living in the realities of Nigerians across the country.
Inflation and Cost of Living
The President’s claims that inflation has moderated significantly could as well be based upon a combination of factors like inflation or interest rates related. It could even be a result of America devaluation of dollar prices for commodities such as oil and gas . However, the cost of living for average Nigerians is still very high, food prices remain at record high, transportation costs continue to rise, and household purchasing power has significantly declined while wages remain stagnant. If inflation were truly easing according to the president, Nigerians would feel the relief of the recession in their markets places and jobs but the alternative is the case contrary to what the president has said.
Nigeria Economy Today
The government’s reference to GDP growth and capital market performance as indicators of progress is not clear enough to justify performance. The report is based upon data compiled from the National Bureau for Statistics Office. But the report does not include all indicators for GDP growth or unemployment in the past year. Thus the growth rate is not expected to rise as much in the coming months. It is also unlikely to increase in this year due to the rising cost of energy prices around the globe. Thus, the GDP growth and capital markets performance is not a measure that can change the overall economic outlook of the country. Nigeria on the other hand is not grappling with economic growth and capital gains concerns but rather with economic development due to its high interest rates, high unemployment rates, high inflation rates, economic sabotage, and its economic woes in recent decades. The ADC concept of economic recovery is about inclusivity in the form that creates enabling opportunities for growth and prosperity through mass job creation, Youth unemployment, empowerment of small and medium-scale businesses, subsidies energy costs, and sustainable policy choices for all sectors of the economy.
Foreign Reserves and Exchange Rate Reality
While foreign reserves and exchange rate stability are still relatively weak compared with other currencies even in our region, the Naira devaluation has not stopped the free fall of our currencies. since its inception the naira’s prolonged depreciation has eroded savings and increased the cost of healthcare, education, local manufacturing, and basic imports. Economic confidence cannot be restored by figures being reeled out by the government and its test book economic forecasts, when citizens grapple with debt and daily financial strains from recession and unemployment, inflation and rising prices of food, fuel, energy and goods generally.
Energy & Electricity.
This government needs to look itself in the mirror before making statements that are misleading and outright incorrect. It is controversial for it to lay claims to infrastructure progress in its report when there is still nationwide reduction in power supply .
The most embarrassing recent plunging the larger parts of Nigeria into darkness during the last Christmas and New Year period is a testimony to the fact; Homes, hospitals, places of worship, and small businesses were forced to rely on costly generators or shut down entirely. No economy can grow without sustainable electricity supplies. Electricity generation and electricity supply especially is crucial to the growth of our economy and therefore a disgrace to our country not to find a lasting solution to it till now. We remain one of the very few nations still in darkness in Africa, what a shame. .
Taxation & Not Exploitation
The ( ADC ) acknowledges the need for tax reform but warns that expanding tax obligations without expanding incomes, social protection, and job creation will only deepen poverty. Nigerians are already overburdened by multiple taxes, levies, tariffs, and rising utility costs across the board making it impossible for them to pay their bills and their taxes. Taxation is a good instrument of growth and development for all citizens to have access to wealth creation and economic prosperity and not a means to oppress or profit from exploitation of the people.
Security against crime.
Nigeria security system has a lot to desire to improve its operational capabilities. Apart from rating the system by the amount of money committed to the system and its use, there is also the need to improve the quality of security and reliability of the infrastructure that is needed to maintain and sustain the system. Otherwise, how do they explain the lapse in efficiency of security measures that failed in arresting the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity; kidnapping, banditry, and persistence of violent crimes nationwide at alarming rates resulting in farmers remaining unsafe in their private farmlands and worsening food supplies abound nationwide.
Security measures and and enforcement successes must be measured by safety felt by citizens, not by government officials reports or statistics announcements of arrests by the authorities. It has to be about rates of crime reduction in various states, cities, towns and communities. And the system of operational needs to be improved and meet the demands for today’s standards of operation.
Government empowerment programmes continue to be announced without transparent data on funding, beneficiaries, or measurable outcomes. Poverty levels remain high, and social mobility continues to decline.
The African Democratic Congress maintains that Nigeria’s challenge is not a lack of potential, but a growing disconnect between policy declarations and everyday reality. Governance must be people centred, transparency and accountability must be maintained by all stakeholders and not just about the optics of governance in general.
Nigerians deserve leadership that measures success by stable electricity, affordable food, safe communities, rising incomes, and restored dignity not by selective statistics.
ADC remains committed to offering Nigerians credible alternatives, honest leadership, and inclusive governance that truly puts the people first.
Nigeria must work for everyone.
ADC – Our Hope For a Greater Nigeria.
Hon. Rahman Owokoniran writes from the ADC Media Network 2.0