By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the Federal Government’s touting of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth, accusing the administration of celebrating abstract figures while millions of citizens grapple with hunger, inflation, and collapsing purchasing power.

In a strongly worded press statement issued on Wednesday, the opposition party said the government’s economic messaging is “disconnected from the harsh economic realities facing ordinary Nigerians.”

“People do not eat GDP,” the ADC declared, arguing that growth is meaningless unless it translates into lower food prices, job creation, stronger purchasing power, and improved living conditions.

The statement, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said Nigeria’s reported economic uptick does nothing to ease the daily suffering in markets, farms, factories, and homes across the country.

“No government should be celebrating economic statistics while millions of its citizens are battling hunger, poverty, collapsing purchasing power, and rising hopelessness,” the ADC said.

The party specifically cited unbearable food prices, punitive transportation costs, widespread small-business closures, salary erosion, and rising unemployment as evidence of a deepening crisis — one it says official GDP figures fail to capture.

“Economic growth that does not reduce suffering, create jobs, improve incomes, or restore dignity to citizens is empty growth,” the ADC said. “Growth that only exists in official reports while citizens descend deeper into hardship is not meaningful progress. It is economic abstraction disconnected from human reality.”

The ADC urged the government to stop “celebrating statistics” and instead show humility, acknowledge the pain Nigerians are experiencing, and focus on policies that deliver measurable improvements in living conditions.

“The purpose of governance is not to manage public relations for economic statistics,” the party said. “The purpose of governance is to improve the living conditions of the people.”

Calling for an economy that works for ordinary citizens — through affordable food, stable electricity, decent jobs, lower business costs, and improved purchasing power — the ADC insisted that until growth is felt in people’s homes, the government has “no moral basis to declare economic success.”

“The true test of economic policy is simple: Can Nigerians live better today than they did yesterday?” the statement reads. “For millions of Nigerians, the answer is no.”

The Federal Government is yet to respond to the ADC’s criticism.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Wednesday warned that the scale of insecurity across different parts of Nigeria poses a major threat to the conduct of free and fair elections.

Amupitan made the remark during a visit to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, in Abuja, as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.

He said the prevailing security challenges, including violence and threats to electoral processes, could undermine credible polls if not properly addressed.

Amupitan said, “In Nigeria, our electoral system has placed numerous challenges over the years, ranging from malpractices to threats of violence, vote trading that undermine the confidence of the electorates.

“These challenges not only affect the outcome of our elections, but also pose significant risks to our national security. Thus, it is imperative that we address these concerns with utmost seriousness and resolve. In this regard, I would like to emphasise the importance of the proactive security measures.

“The scale of insecurity across the various parts of Nigeria presents a threat to the conduct of the fair election. It is essential that we carry out total security risk analysis ahead of the election and this will enable us to identify potential flashpoints and deploy appropriate strategies to mitigate risks, thereby safeguarding voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the electoral process.”

According to him, such measures would help identify flashpoints and enable the deployment of strategies to safeguard voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the process.

Amupitan noted that elections scheduled for January 16, 2027 (presidential) and February 6, 2027 (governorship and state assemblies) require strong collaboration between INEC and security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police, which leads electoral security operations.

He added that ongoing electoral activities, including party congresses and forthcoming primaries under the Electoral Act 2026, further heighten the need for proactive security planning.

The INEC chairman also highlighted upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as several by-elections across the country, describing them as critical tests for Nigeria’s democracy.

On humanitarian concerns, Amupitan drew attention to Internally Displaced Persons camps across the country, insisting that displaced citizens must not be disenfranchised.

“I also want to draw attention to several IDP camps that are scattered all over Nigeria.

Let me say that it is their right to also vote, and they must not be disenfranchised.

“As the electoral body, we are doing everything to ensure that all those in IDP camps are given the conducive environment to exercise their franchise, and also the people with disabilities. So therefore, we commend all these people, categories of persons, persons in IDP camps, as well as persons with disabilities to the IG for special attention and care,” he said.

Responding, the Inspector-General of Police assured that the Force would adopt intelligence-led deployment and preventive policing strategies to address emerging threats such as political violence, arms proliferation, cyber manipulation, and attacks on electoral infrastructure.

Disu said the police had commenced nationwide threat assessments and intelligence mapping, and would work closely with other security agencies to ensure adequate protection of electoral personnel, materials and facilities.

He also pledged strict enforcement of electoral laws, warning that offenders involved in vote-buying, ballot snatching, voter intimidation and destruction of electoral materials would be arrested and prosecuted.

The police chief further emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration, real-time intelligence sharing, and training of personnel to ensure professionalism and public confidence in the electoral process.

Nigeria and the United States have inaugurated Defence Institutional Technical Working Groups to strengthen security cooperation and address terrorism and regional instability.

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday.

It said the inauguration, held under the 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap, was aimed at enhancing institutional capacity and improving joint efforts to tackle evolving security challenges.

The head of the U.S. delegation, Cate Dave, said the initiative would support strategic planning and help deny terrorists safe havens.

He restated the importance of institutional development in achieving effective counterterrorism outcomes.

On his part, the leader of the Nigerian delegation, AVM Francis Edosa, described the partnership as critical to addressing security threats in Nigeria and the wider region.

Mr Edosa said the collaboration would focus on strengthening the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s warfighting capabilities and improving its responsiveness to security challenges.

He added that the initiative would help restore lasting peace and stability across the country.

Both sides underscored the need for practical outcomes, accountability and sustained collaboration to enhance security and regional stability.