By Luminous Jannamike – Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Federal Government’s recent reform initiatives, describing them as political optics designed to manage public perception ahead of the 2027 general elections rather than genuine efforts to solve Nigeria’s deepening economic and social crises.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary and National Coalition Spokesperson, the party accused the Tinubu administration of prioritizing image over substance.

Reacting to a tweet by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on plans to eliminate bottlenecks affecting food security and exports, the ADC said the move was not driven by concern for Nigerians but by fear of growing opposition support.

“On Saturday, when Bayo Onanuga tweeted that all bottlenecks hindering the realisation of the Tinubu administration’s potential would be removed to enable food sovereignty and export, he didn’t just issue a statement—he issued a confession,” Abdullahi stated.

“That tweet confirmed that this government had, by design, been sitting on its hands while Nigerians starved. The reforms are not born out of empathy, but out of political anxiety.”

The ADC argued that the government’s sudden policy shifts were not responses to the suffering of Nigerians but rather attempts to neutralize the rising influence of the ADC and a more united opposition.

“It took the emergence of the ADC and the growing momentum of a united opposition to push this government into action. It wasn’t the hunger of millions that moved them—it was fear. Fear of 2027. Fear that Nigerians have woken up.”

Accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of “weaponizing poverty,” the ADC said urgent national issues had long been ignored until electoral calculations forced a response.

“This is not a government reacting to a national emergency. This is a political machine managing optics. Every move has been calculated for 2027,” the statement said.

The ADC further accused President Bola Tinubu of launching his re-election campaign prematurely, alleging that governance had taken a backseat to political strategy.

“The President is not governing. He is campaigning—two years early—because he knows he’s in trouble. He knows Nigerians have had enough,” Abdullahi added.

He urged citizens to see through what the party described as “choreographed press releases” and not to be swayed by the government’s “sudden awakenings.”

“This is not governance. This is desperation,” the statement concluded.