The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign, to explain what Nigerians have gained from the N15.8 trillion generated from petrol subsidy removal and foreign-exchange reforms.
Yari had dismissed opposition promises to restore petrol subsidy as unrealistic, describing them as a “lie” to Nigerians. He maintained that the subsidy regime was gone for good, arguing that it was financially unsustainable and lacked transparency.
Yari spoke when members of the APC National Working Committee visited him, in response to a pledge by Atiku Abubakar, theADC presidential candidate, to introduce a targeted subsidy regime if elected president in 2027.
BusinessDay reports that Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), had earlier pledged to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027
However, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, said Yari’s position was significant because he was responsible for convincing Nigerians to re-elect Tinubu.
“If the message of the President’s re-election campaign is that Nigerians must accept today’s hardship as permanent and anyone promising relief is a liar, then Nigerians must be seriously concerned,” the ADC said.
According to figures attributed to Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the reforms generated about N15.8 trillion in additional resources for the Federation between June 2023 and December 2025.
The ADC said N5.4 trillion accrued to the federal fovernment, N5.4 trillion to states and N3.9 trillion to local governments.
It added that states received N47.25 trillion in FAAC allocations between 2023 and 2025, while monthly disbursements have risen above N2 trillion.
“The contradiction is impossible to ignore. Government is counting trillions while Nigerian families are counting the meals they can afford,” the party said.
The ADC challenged Yari and the APC to explain whether Nigerians were better off after three years of economic sacrifice.
“After N15.8 trillion in additional resources, record FAAC allocations and three years of unprecedented sacrifice, are Nigerians better off?” the party asked.
The ADC also cited N458 billion borrowed by about 20 states in 2025, despite increased FAAC receipts, and demanded accountability for the funds.
“After N47.25 trillion to states in three years, Nigerians have a right to ask: where are the results?” it asked.
The ADC further criticised poor infrastructure, unpaid contractors and insecurity, saying, “The big lie is in government telling Nigerians that its reforms are working while driving the country towards certain destruction.”
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