ADC Challenges Tinubu Over $1 Billion Social Protection Fund

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the Nigerian Federal Government's announcement of a $1 billion social protection programme, characterizing it as a panic reaction and a vote-buying scheme ahead of the 2027 elections. The programme, which includes a one-off ₦40,000 shock-response payment per family, was unveiled by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, prompting the ADC to question the constitutional legality of her role in managing public funds.

Opposition leaders argue the intervention is a belated response to three years of economic hardship caused by President Bola Tinubu's removal of fuel subsidies and other reforms. National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi asserted that the government's current approach mirrors previous proposals by ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for targeted production subsidies to lower the cost of living.

Atiku Abubakar has further challenged the administration to provide an independent audit of a separate ₦600 billion cash-transfer programme. Abubakar highlighted contradictions in government data, noting that the Presidency claimed 15 million households were reached in mid-2026, while the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs reported only slightly over 10 million households on August 26, 2026. He argued that the ₦600 billion expenditure is mathematically inconsistent with promised payments and proposed shifting focus toward the domestic petroleum value chain to reduce fuel and transport costs at the source.