Tinubu’s ‘Economy Out-Of-Dark-Tunnel’ Claim Insensitive, False — MDPCO

The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s claim in Mecca that Nigeria’s economy has emerged from the “dark tunnel,” describing the statement as misleading and inconsistent with the economic realities confronting millions of Nigerians.

MDPCO, in a statement on Monday in Abuja by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Nnanna Ihediwa, accused the Tinubu administration of worsening poverty, unemployment, food insecurity and the cost of living through what it described as insensitive and poorly managed economic policies.

The MDPCO said it was disturbing that the President could make such claims while millions of Nigerians continued to grapple with severe economic hardship, despite the country’s vast human and natural resources.

According to the organisation, more than 140 million Nigerians, representing about 63 per cent of the population, are living in poverty, while businesses across the country are shutting down daily due to rising operating costs, harsh taxation and unfavourable economic conditions.

It added that unemployment and food insecurity had reached alarming levels, alleging that more than 60 million Nigerians were facing acute food insecurity, with many households struggling to afford basic necessities.

The campaign organisation also blamed the administration for the persistent insecurity across the country, saying attacks and other security challenges had restricted citizens’ freedom of movement, disrupted farming and commercial activities, and further weakened economic productivity.

It expressed concern that petrol prices remained between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000 per litre in some parts of the country despite Nigeria’s status as an oil-producing nation, arguing that the development had intensified transportation costs, increased the prices of goods and services, and eroded citizens’ purchasing power.

The MDPCO further cited Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, estimated at $2.3 trillion, arguing that the scale of the challenge underscored the need for sustained investment in critical infrastructure.

It noted that experts had estimated that approximately $100 billion in annual investment would be required over the next 30 years to address the country’s infrastructure gap.

The organisation also criticised the Federal Government’s borrowing, alleging that the administration had accumulated a debt burden of about ₦166.7 trillion without sufficient evidence of corresponding investments capable of delivering measurable benefits to Nigerians.

It questioned how the President could declare that the economy had emerged from a difficult period while households and businesses continued to face rising costs, declining purchasing power and uncertainty over their economic future.

The campaign organisation said Nigerians had expected Tinubu to use his visit to the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah to reflect on the country’s challenges and seek divine guidance on how to address the hardship facing citizens.

It argued that the President’s economic assessment was at odds with the experiences of ordinary Nigerians, adding that the country needed leadership capable of acknowledging the scale of its problems and implementing practical solutions.

The MDPCO further interpreted Tinubu’s statement that Almighty Allah gives power and can take it away from whom He wills as a reminder of the temporary nature of political authority.

According to the organisation, the statement resonates with Nigerians seeking a change in leadership ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

It therefore urged Tinubu to withdraw from the presidential race and support the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Engr. Seyi Makinde, saying such a decision would serve the overriding interest of the country.

The organisation maintained that Makinde’s proposed RESET NIGERIA Agenda offered an alternative pathway focused on economic opportunities, affordable living, improved security, quality education, accountable governance and national unity.

It expressed confidence that Nigerians would embrace Makinde’s candidacy, describing him as a credible alternative capable of addressing the country’s economic and governance challenges.

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