ADC Warns Tinubu: Okonjo-Iweala’s Comment Was About Nigerians’ Suffering, Not Economic Stability

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a swipe at the Federal Government, accusing it of twisting recent remarks made by the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the state of Nigeria’s economy.

In a widely reported statement, Okonjo-Iweala was quoted as crediting President Bola Tinubu’s administration for “stabilizing the economy” following its contentious reforms. While government officials and allied media platforms celebrated the comment as an endorsement, the ADC insists that the real message was ignored.

According to the party, the WTO boss’s central concern was not about stability in abstract terms, but about the urgent need to implement policies that would cushion the impact of reforms on ordinary Nigerians, create jobs, and lay the foundation for sustainable growth.

ADC: Government Seeking Validation, Not Solutions

In a press statement issued on August 15 by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC criticized what it described as the government’s “effusive celebration” of Okonjo-Iweala’s remarks. The party argued that the administration’s response reflected desperation for external validation rather than genuine commitment to economic recovery.

“The government and its media surrogates have amplified only one soundbite,” the ADC declared, “while deliberately ignoring her more serious call for urgent measures to grow the economy and provide social safety nets for millions of suffering families.” Abdullahi stressed that what was presented as commendation was, in fact, a cautionary note.

The ADC maintained that a responsible government would have highlighted the full context of Okonjo-Iweala’s remarks and responded with clear strategies to address job losses, inflation, and deepening poverty, rather than celebrating a perceived endorsement.

“Stability Without Growth Is Meaningless”

The party’s statement went further to dissect what it termed the real intent behind Okonjo-Iweala’s words. According to the ADC, true economic stability cannot be measured by policy adjustments or international applause but by tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.

“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala knows that a stable economy is one that is growing in real terms, led by jobs and productivity,” the statement read. “She knows that economic stability that leaves the majority in grinding poverty is meaningless.”

The ADC stressed that Nigeria’s current trajectory—marked by job losses, rising prices, and diminishing purchasing power—was a clear indicator that stability was only being achieved on paper, not in the lived realities of millions of households.

Direct Challenge to Tinubu’s Reform Agenda

In its strongest rebuke yet, the ADC linked the ongoing hardship to what it described as President Tinubu’s “ill-conceived and badly implemented reforms.” The party argued that while structural changes were necessary, the administration had failed to implement them in a way that safeguarded vulnerable citizens from avoidable shocks.

“These reforms have condemned the majority of Nigerians to absolute poverty and destroyed millions of jobs,” the statement claimed, stressing that the economic blueprint being implemented lacked compassion and foresight.

The ADC maintained that unless the government confronted these realities, no amount of external commentary—whether misquoted or celebrated—could hide the fact that Nigerians were bearing the brunt of poorly executed policies.

Call for Urgent Policy Shifts

Moving forward, the ADC called on the Federal Government to abandon propaganda-driven governance and return to policies that directly address poverty, unemployment, and economic exclusion. The party argued that the administration should prioritize the establishment of social safety nets, targeted subsidies, and job creation schemes.

“What Okonjo-Iweala is really saying,” the statement concluded, “is that the economy is not growing, jobs are not being created, and too many people are suffering as a direct consequence of the reforms. These are the issues the government must urgently address.”

The ADC’s intervention adds to a growing chorus of opposition voices pressing the Tinubu administration to rethink its economic strategy. Whether the government heeds the warning or doubles down on its current approach remains to be seen.