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.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointments of Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, giving legislative backing to President Bola Tinubu’s latest cabinet reshuffle aimed at strengthening diplomacy and stabilising the country’s troubled electricity sector.

The confirmations followed the nominees’ screening at plenary, where they were subjected to scrutiny and responded to questions from lawmakers before being cleared by the Committee of the Whole.

President Tinubu, in separate letters transmitted on Tuesday, sought the Senate’s approval for the appointments in line with constitutional provision.

The requests were read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The letter partly read, “In compliance with the provisions of Section 147(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate the nomination of Ambassador Shola Enikolaye as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest regards,” he added.

The nomination was subsequently referred to the Committee of the Whole for urgent consideration, in line with Senate procedure for cabinet nominees.

In a separate correspondence, Tinubu also sought legislative approval for Tegbe.

The letter partly read, “In compliance with the provisions of Section 147(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate the nomination of Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“While I hope this request will receive the expeditious consideration of the Senate, please accept the assurances of my highest regards.”

Akpabio, after reading the letter, referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration.

“This correspondence is referred to the Committee of the Whole for immediate action,” he said.

He also assured that the upper chamber would prioritise the requests, fast-tracking the screening and confirmation process.

Enikanolaiye’s confirmation formalises his return to the forefront of Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture. A career diplomat with over three decades of service, he was nominated in April as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The Kogi State-born envoy, who hails from Igbagun in Yagba East Local Government Area, previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations and rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His diplomatic career spans key postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London and New Delhi, positioning him as a seasoned hand expected to support Nigeria’s international engagements at a time of shifting global alliances.

Tegbe’s appointment, on the other hand, comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria’s power sector, which continues to grapple with grid instability, liquidity shortfalls and infrastructure deficits despite ongoing reforms under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

His nomination follows the exit of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who resigned in March 2026 to pursue the Oyo State governorship race ahead of the 2027 elections, in compliance with a directive mandating political appointees seeking elective office to step down.

In an earlier statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the nomination was intended to reinforce reforms, improve grid reliability and unlock investment into the sector.

Tegbe, an indigene of Oyo State, brings over three decades of experience in fiscal policy and economic reform across both public and private sectors. He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa and currently serves as Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership.

He also chaired the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee inaugurated in 2025 and has been actively involved in regulatory and institutional reforms within the electricity sector.

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.