The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reacted to recent approval ratings showing that 30.2% of Nigerians who participated in a survey conducted by Eagle Badger Data Analytics (EBDA) approved of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s performance, News.ng reports.
According to the survey, the figure was down from the 37.2% recorded last year. The survey also revealed that 47.5% of respondents disapprove of his administration since 2023.
According to a statement issued on Friday by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, the report reflects the general perception of worsening living conditions since the President assumed office.
He said: “For us in the ADC, the significance of this report is clear. A President with only 30 percent approval after three years in office has lost the confidence of the Nigerian people. More importantly, it means that roughly seven out of every ten Nigerians are either dissatisfied, unconvinced, or unwilling to endorse the direction in which the country is being led. That is not a political challenge. That is a national rejection.
“The most damning finding in the report is that 62 percent of Nigerians say they are worse off today than they were when President Tinubu took office in May 2023. Only 23.3 percent say their lives have improved. Even more troubling, 42.4 percent of Nigerians describe themselves as being “much worse off” than they were three years ago.
“These numbers confirm what Nigerians experience every day. Families can no longer afford basic food items. Transportation costs have become unbearable. Small businesses are shutting down. Young people are facing rising unemployment and diminishing opportunities. Millions of citizens who work hard every day can no longer guarantee decent living conditions for their families.”
On food prices, which the report stated have skyrocketed by more than 90% since May 2023, coupled with the astronomical increases in house rents, school fees, transportation costs, and the burden of insecurity, the party said these factors have made life harder for Nigerians.
The party noted: “The same report reveals that food prices have increased by more than 90 percent since May 2023, while the overall price level has risen by roughly 80 percent. These are not opposition figures. They are realities that Nigerians confront in markets every single day.
“The government continues to celebrate macroeconomic statistics, but Nigerians do not eat statistics. They eat food. They pay rent. They pay school fees. They pay transport fares. They confront insecurity. And on all these measures, life has become significantly harder under this administration.
“The failure extends beyond the economy. Even the survey identifies insecurity as one of the major concerns of Nigerians. Across large parts of the country, farmers remain unable to safely access their farmlands. Communities continue to face attacks from bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and criminal gangs. Thousands of Nigerians have lost their lives, while millions live in fear and uncertainty.”
While it is common for new administrations to claim that worsening economic conditions, insecurity, and rising prices of goods and services were inherited from previous governments, it is pertinent to note that the survey was conducted after three years of President Tinubu’s leadership.
In response, the ADC concluded that the Tinubu administration has failed Nigerians in areas that directly affect their lives.
It therefore called on Nigerians to make the right decisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The tragedy is that after three years in office, the government can no longer claim that these challenges were inherited. The responsibility now belongs entirely to President Tinubu and his administration. Leadership is measured by outcomes, not excuses.
“What should concern the President even more is that the survey found a direct relationship between worsening economic conditions and public disapproval. Among Nigerians who say their circumstances have become much worse under this administration, more than 73 percent disapprove of the President’s performance.
“The verdict from the Nigerian people is therefore unmistakable. This administration has failed to improve living conditions, failed to protect household incomes, failed to create sufficient opportunities for young Nigerians, and failed to restore public confidence in the future.
“The ADC believes that Nigeria deserves better. They deserve leadership that prioritizes jobs over propaganda, security over excuses, and results over rhetoric.
“As the nation moves toward 2027, this survey should serve as a wake-up call. Thirty percent approval after three years in office is not a sign of success. It is a measure of failure,” the party concluded.
