Tinubu should account for failed promises before seeking second term

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for his unfulfilled 2023 campaign promises before seeking re-election in 2027.

The party accused Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, of introducing fresh promises in their newly unveiled 2027 manifesto without explaining why previous commitments had not been achieved.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the President should present a clear account of his performance rather than ask Nigerians to accept another set of promises.

The party cited Tinubu’s 2023 pledges to extend health insurance coverage to 40 per cent of Nigerians within two years and create one million jobs in the information and communications technology sector within 24 months.

“The government has managed to cover barely one in ten Nigerians with health insurance, while its own figures show that only about 15,000 jobs and opportunity pathways have been recorded. The health insurance target has also been shifted to 2031,” the ADC said.

The ADC also questioned the administration’s performance in the power sector, noting that the APC had described electricity generation of 4,500 megawatts as inadequate in 2023, while its new manifesto acknowledged average generation of 4,022 megawatts.

“How does a government campaign to solve a crisis it has made remarkably worse?” the party asked.

The opposition party also accused the administration of failing to address the hardship facing Nigerians, claiming that poverty had increased to 63 per cent and the N70,000 minimum wage had lost more than a quarter of its purchasing power.

It also faulted Tinubu’s plan to introduce a programme for his first 100 days after re-election, arguing that he already had the constitutional powers to implement the proposed measures while in office.

“The President already has the powers to address these issues but has failed to act. Why should Nigerians wait for another election before he does what he can do now?” the ADC asked.

The party said Nigerians deserve to know which of the President’s previous promises had been fulfilled, which remained outstanding and why the administration missed its targets.

“A manifesto is a promise of what a party will do. A record is evidence of what it has done. After eleven years, the APC cannot keep presenting promises as a substitute for performance,” the statement said.

The ADC insisted that the 2027 election should be about assessing Tinubu’s performance since assuming office in May 2023, rather than allowing him to present his administration as a fresh government.

It challenged the President to publish a comprehensive report on his 2023 commitments and explain the reasons for shifting some of the deadlines.