2027: ADC accuses Tinubu of using N50,000 cash transfers to woo voters
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government’s plan to introduce monthly N50,000 cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians, describing the initiative as an election gimmick ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of attempting to regain public support through the proposed intervention rather than addressing the economic challenges facing Nigerians.
In a statement on Saturday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the timing of the announcement raised questions about the government’s intentions.
The Federal Government had announced the monthly payments under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, saying the programme was designed to cushion the effects of rising living costs on low-income households.
Reacting, Abdullahi alleged that the government was responding to the ADC’s campaign promises on reducing the cost of living and restoring Nigerians’ purchasing power.
He said the administration had announced several relief measures in recent months, including a $1 billion social intervention fund, a 30-day fuel discount, cheaper transportation and a N70,000 transportation allowance for workers.
According to him, many of the announced interventions had yet to translate into tangible benefits for Nigerians.
“President Tinubu is in full panic mode now. Since the ADC and our Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have made affordability and reducing the cost of living the cardinal focus of our campaign, the government has been announcing one desperate intervention or another,” Abdullahi said.
The party also questioned the purchasing power of the proposed N50,000 payment, arguing that the amount would offer limited relief amid rising food, transportation, fuel and healthcare costs.
Abdullahi further questioned why the government did not incorporate such financial assistance into its economic reform plans from the beginning.
The ADC also raised concerns about transparency in the management of previous cash transfer programmes, citing an Auditor-General’s report which reportedly identified gaps in the accounting of funds meant for vulnerable households.
It urged the Federal Government to account for previous intervention funds and ensure that the latest programme would not be diverted for political purposes.
The opposition party maintained that addressing the cost-of-living crisis required policies that would restore purchasing power and reduce the cost of food, energy and transportation.
