ADC accuses Tinubu administration of manipulating food prices, weaponising hunger

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of manipulating food prices and using hunger as a political tool amid the nation’s deepening economic crisis.

In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party dismissed the Federal Government’s claim of a recent decline in food prices, describing it as “artificial and deceptive.”

The ADC questioned the government’s reported hoarding of imported food items while millions of Nigerians struggle to feed, calling it a deliberate attempt to “weaponise poverty for political advantage.”

On Sunday, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, attributed the supposed drop in food prices to improved local production, targeted interventions, and the ongoing harvest season.

He also cited the success of initiatives such as the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket, which he said had boosted farmer support and productivity.

However, the ADC dismissed these claims, insisting that the so-called decline was not a result of increased productivity but of import waivers that temporarily flooded the market with cheaper foreign products.

“The reported drop in food prices is artificial, driven by import waivers, not improved local output,” the statement read.

“While it may bring short-term relief, it undermines local farmers who face rising input costs, fertiliser shortages, and worsening insecurity.”

The party criticised the government for claiming progress in agriculture while rural communities remain under siege by bandits and many farmers have been displaced.

“How can production be increasing when farmers are abandoning their lands due to insecurity, and those who remain cannot afford to plant?” the ADC queried.

The statement further accused the administration of spreading propaganda through what it called a “manufactured narrative of renewed hope,” insisting that the price drop was unsustainable and politically motivated.

“It is both strange and dishonest for the government to deny releasing imported food when warehouses remain stocked during a hunger crisis,” the ADC said. “Why hoard food while citizens starve?”

The party called for a complete overhaul of the nation’s agricultural policies, urging the government to prioritise food security, protection of local farmers, and rural safety over short-term political optics.

“Nigerians deserve truth and affordable food, not manipulation and empty propaganda,” the statement concluded.