By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to divert public attention from its economic and security record by obsessively focusing on opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s personal opinions.

In a statement issued Monday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the APC’s response to recent criticism from Catholic Bishops reveals a party unable to defend its governance record.

“The APC wants the 2027 election to be about personalities because it cannot defend its performance,” Abdullahi said. “They want this election to be about Obasanjo’s personal opinion of Atiku based on a distant past because they cannot defend Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s record based on current performance.”

The statement comes after Catholic Bishops reportedly raised concerns about worsening poverty, insecurity, and the rising cost of living during a recent meeting with President Tinubu. The ADC accused the ruling party of attacking the Bishops rather than addressing their substantive concerns.

“Whenever respected Nigerians point to the deepening poverty, worsening insecurity, rising cost of living, or the collapse of public confidence under this administration, the APC never answers for its record,” Abdullahi said. “Instead, it looks for someone to attack. Yesterday, it was the Catholic Bishops. Today, it is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Tomorrow, it will be someone else.”

The ADC challenged the APC government to answer specific questions about its economic management, including why food prices continue to soar despite proclaimed economic growth, why poverty has deepened, and why the government is spending 69% of revenue on debt servicing—a figure the World Bank has described as dangerously high.

The party also defended Atiku Abubakar’s record as Vice President under Obasanjo, noting that Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth and greater macroeconomic stability during that period.

“While President Obasanjo was in office, with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar serving as Vice President and Chairman of the National Economic Council, Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth, greater macroeconomic stability, stronger investor confidence, and a far more affordable cost of living than Nigerians endure today,” the statement read.

“Whatever political differences may now exist between the two men, that record remains a matter of public history and cannot be erased.”

The APC had not issued an official response to the ADC’s allegations at the time of this report. However, party officials have previously dismissed opposition criticism as politically motivated.

Political analysts note that the exchange reflects an intensifying campaign season, with both parties already positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential election. The ADC, while a smaller opposition party, has sought to align itself with the broader critique of the APC’s economic policies under President Tinubu.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The presidency has officially set a seven-week timeline for the completion of the draft executive bill on state policing, with the proposed legislation expected to reach President Bola Tinubu for review by September 3, 2026.

Femi Gbajabiamila, chairman of the presidential working group on the national policing bill, disclosed the schedule on Monday, confirming that the draft will be formally transmitted to the president exactly seven weeks from now.

Gbajabiamila’s announcement underscores the administration’s accelerated push to overhaul Nigeria’s centralized policing structure, a reform initiative that has gained significant traction amid growing calls for decentralized security architecture to address the nation’s complex law enforcement challenges.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The presidency says the most visible impact of the petrol subsidy removal is the increased allocation for states and local government areas (LGAs) in the country.

In a statement on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information & strategy to President Bola Tinubu, responded to the recent comment of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on the petrol subsidy removal policy.

Atiku said Nigerians deserve explanation on the petrol subsidy savings, adding that it is false to say the savings are being used to fund workers’ welfare.

His statement followed the comment by Taiwo Oyedele, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, that the federal government will soon publish a detailed account of how savings from the removal of petrol subsidy has been utilised.

According to the minister, a significant portion of the savings went into financing obligations that were previously funded through central bank financing, servicing higher debt costs following tighter monetary conditions, and implementing the new national minimum wage.

Onanuga said prior to the assumption of office by Tinubu’s administration, international institutions have called for the removal of petrol subsidy.

The spokesperson said Nigerians were suffering when resources were being used to pay “fuel-subsidy merchants”.

He added that the government in which Atiku served from 1999 to 2007, did not stop the payment of petrol subsidy.

Onanuga said increased revenue allocation has made states and LGAs to raise spending on infrastructure and salaries.

“It must be said that the government in which Alhaji Atiku was Vice President waded through that toxic phenomenon, and never did the needful,” Onanuga said.

“The current administration deserves commendation for being able to get rid of something that has become a lodestone around the neck of our collective patrimony.

“The visible consequence of subsidy removal has been the sharp improvement in revenues accruing to states and local governments through the Federation Account.

“Higher statutory allocations have expanded fiscal space at the subnational level, enabling many states to increase spending on roads, schools, hospitals, salaries, pensions, and social programmes. Independent assessments, including those from the World Bank, have noted improvements in public revenues and subnational capital spending, which is another word for infrastructural development, following major fiscal reforms.

“This means that President Tinubu has tactically placed more responsibility for socioeconomic development on states and local governments, while providing requisite funding.

“This is true federalism and a bold statement on the much-vaunted subject of economic restructuring – another important issue gallantly avoided by the government in which Alhaji Atiku served and wielded great influence.”

Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy during his inaugural speech as president in 2023.