The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the administration of Bola Tinubu over what it described as “grave insensitivity” after Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga reportedly said he does not see the hunger and hardship Nigerians are talking about.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said Onanuga’s comments reflected the dominant thinking within the Tinubu-led government and confirmed its long-held position that the administration is disconnected from the reality faced by millions of ordinary Nigerians.

The ADC spokesman said the real question was whether the government was prepared to acknowledge the consequences of its policies and take responsibility for what it described as its historic failures.

He added that until that happens, comments such as those made by Onanuga would only strengthen the growing perception that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government is out of touch with the people and unwilling to confront the damage its economic policies have caused.

Part of the statement read: “The African Democratic Congress has condemned recent comments by Presidential spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, claiming that he does not see the level of hunger and hardship Nigerians are talking about. Those comments are not merely insensitive; they are a startling admission of how disconnected the APC government has become from the realities of the people it governs.

“When over 80 per cent of Nigerians are struggling to feed their families, pay school fees, afford transportation and keep their businesses alive, it is extraordinary that a senior presidential spokesman can publicly suggest that the hardship is somehow overstated or even contrived.

“The truth is that Nigerians are not faking their suffering. The unprecedented cost-of-living crisis confronting the country today is the direct result of the ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policies of the Tinubu administration, which have pushed millions more into acute poverty since this government came to power.

“Food prices have soared, transportation costs have multiplied, the value of incomes and savings has been eroded, and millions of Nigerians who were managing before are now trapped in economic distress. This is not opposition propaganda. It is the daily lived experience of ordinary Nigerians in every state of the federation.

“What makes Mr Onanuga’s comments particularly troubling is that they reveal a government that has become tragically insular and can no longer do anything differently. A sensible government does not measure the effects of its policies by merely looking at the people within its immediate circle or driving through paved roads.

“It must listen to the people in the markets, on the farms, in the classrooms, in the workshops and on the streets. If the Presidency genuinely cannot see the hunger and hardship Nigerians are talking about, then it raises serious questions about whether it sees the people at all.

“The APC government will undoubtedly point to road infrastructure projects as its achievements. While even this is debatable, the fact remains that Nigerians cannot eat roads.

“The first responsibility of any government is to create economic conditions in which citizens can afford food, find jobs, run businesses and live with dignity. On this most fundamental test, the Tinubu administration has failed.

“After three years of promises, excuses and appeals for patience, the reality for 62 per cent of Nigerians is that life is harder today than it was when this government took office.

“The ADC believes that leadership begins with honesty. The question is no longer whether Nigerians are suffering; Nigerians already know that they are.” (Nigerian Tribune)