The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of weaponizing poverty and manipulating food prices for political gains.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of being dishonest in its claims of increased local food production and a decline in the cost of food items.
The party expressed deep concern over what it described as the “Federal Government’s misleading narrative around the so-called drop in food prices.”
“Contrary to what is being celebrated in official circles, the reality on the ground—as confirmed by struggling farmers and families across the country—is that the Tinubu government is manipulating food prices and weaponising hunger for political gain,” Abdullahi said.
According to him, the reported drop in the prices of some food items is artificial and largely due to import waivers that have flooded the market with cheap foreign food.
“It is neither evidence of sound policy nor proof of increased local production. And while that may offer momentary relief, it has come—and will come—at the heavy cost of sabotaging local farmers who can no longer compete due to soaring input costs, especially fertilisers, and worsening insecurity,” he stated.
The ADC dismissed the Federal Government’s claims that its policies are boosting domestic production, noting that worsening insecurity and banditry have continued to threaten farming communities.
“Any current drop in price is temporary, unsustainable, and driven by panic—not strategy or deliberate planning,” the statement added.
Describing the situation as “propaganda,” the party alleged that the government was deliberately manipulating food prices to create the illusion of economic progress.
“This is a deliberate manipulation of food prices for short-term political gain, designed to create the illusion of economic progress while citizens continue to suffer,” it said.
The ADC also faulted the government’s denial of releasing imported food into the market.
“If we are to even momentarily entertain this falsehood, it begs an even more damning question: why is the government hoarding food while the people go hungry? What sort of administration stores food in warehouses during a hunger crisis?” it asked.
The party therefore condemned “in the strongest terms” what it described as the weaponisation of hunger and called for a complete overhaul of the country’s agricultural approach.
