He argued that while the Tinubu government celebrates a marginal improvement of 0.2 percentage points, Nigeria’s poverty rate has snowballed to 63%, affecting an estimated 140 million Nigerians.

The ADC also asked President Tinubu to explain 0.2% GDP growth to the 140 million Nigerians who have sunk into poverty since he came to power; the workers who have watched the value of their salaries disappear; businesses that have struggled with energy costs; and millions who have been forced to reduce the quantity and quality of food on their tables.

“When the President and his party say things are getting better, we expect them to tell us what has improved in the lives of Nigerians. They should tell us how much food their “GDP growth” has put on the tables. They should tell us which bill it has paid. If 0.2% is a mark of success in their books, President Tinubu and APC should tell us what they consider as failure,” the ADC said.

The party said that Uber’s exit after twelve years in Nigeria reflects the increasingly hostile operating environment confronting businesses, particularly the soaring cost of energy and transportation, with the price of fuel rising by as much as 1,700% following the removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira.

“This is precisely why the ADC Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has proposed the restoration of a targeted fuel subsidy to bring down the cost of fuel, transportation and production,” the party said.

It also cited the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s earlier report that 767 manufacturing companies, including 20 iconic global brands, have shut down or ceased operations in Nigeria, while hundreds more are distressed since President Tinubu assumed office in 2024. It listed among the companies that have shut down or scaled down operations in the country to include Microsoft, Jumia and Bolt Food, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Sanofi-Aventis, Bayer AG, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and PZ Cussons, among others.

“Therefore, when the President announces that Nigeria has turned the corner, we wonder which corner he is talking about. If indeed the economy is improving, or the slightest hope exists in the minds of those who run these businesses that this APC government can improve the economy, why are they closing shop and moving elsewhere?” ADC asked, citing the example of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which it said shut down manufacturing in Nigeria after 50 years.

“The painful truth is that Tinubu has turned Nigeria into a graveyard of businesses. Every business that shuts down or pulls out is a vote of no confidence in the Tinubu administration and its capacity to manage the economy. Each exit delivers a blow to the economy. But perhaps, more importantly, each one represents a massive loss of jobs and increased poverty.

“Therefore, when the APC and its government celebrate even the most negligible shift in GDP numbers and flaunt that as evidence to show that things are getting better, they are immediately contradicted by the painful reality that Nigerians are getting poorer and hungrier. Those who had jobs yesterday are not sure how long it will take before their employers close shop, and those earning salaries are struggling even to transport themselves to work,” the party concludes.

ADC reiterated that its presidential candidate’s plan to subsidise the production costs of fuel to make it more affordable will bring down the cost of living, make businesses more profitable, and create jobs across sectors.

One source close to the governors claimed that the strategy could reduce the number of votes available to both Tinubu and APC National Assembly candidates.

The source further alleged that some politicians within the coalition were using the President’s name to advance their individual electoral ambitions.

Sources familiar with discussions surrounding the coalition also alleged that some members planned to privately encourage their supporters to vote for PDP candidates despite publicly declaring support for Tinubu.

According to the sources, there were concerns that grassroots supporters could eventually be persuaded to vote for one party across the ballot rather than differentiate between the presidential and parliamentary contests.

Some APC governors were said to have rejected any arrangement that could jeopardise the chances of the ruling party’s National Assembly candidates.

They argued that voting behaviour in many parts of the country had historically favoured a single political party across several positions during elections.

Those opposed to the arrangement reportedly cited the outcome of the 2023 general elections in Oyo State as an example of the potential consequences of cross-party presidential endorsements.

Ahead of that election, Governor Seyi Makinde, a PDP member, was among the five PDP governors who declined to support their party’s presidential candidate.

Tinubu eventually won the presidential election in Oyo State, while the APC also recorded significant gains in the National Assembly contests.

The APC governors reportedly fear a similar voting pattern could emerge in states where politicians encourage voters to support Tinubu while backing opposition candidates for other positions.

“This will hurt Tinubu badly if he does not get maximum votes from North-Central and South-East,” one of the sources said.

Sources also claimed that details of the concerns raised within APC circles had reached Wike.

They alleged that the development contributed to the FCT minister’s recent criticism of some senior APC figures, including Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma.

Court nullifies Zamfara North APC senatorial primary, orders fresh election
The Federal High Court sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State, has nullified the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election conducted for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.

The court also ordered the APC to conduct a fresh primary election in the senatorial district within 14 days.

Justice Hassan Dikko delivered the judgment on Monday after hearing and considering the written addresses and arguments adopted by the plaintiffs and defendants.

The judge directed the party to conduct a fresh primary in accordance with the relevant rules within 14 days of the judgment.

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Reacting to the ruling, APC senatorial aspirant Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi welcomed the decision, saying it had restored public confidence in the judiciary.

“I appreciate the judgment. It’s a milestone towards our success. The judiciary has been vindicated; people still have confidence in it,” he said.

Shinkafi had earlier approached the court to challenge the legality of the APC primary election conducted for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.