The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged the President Bola Tinubu administration to focus on addressing Nigeria’s worsening security, economic, and social challenges instead of criticising citizens who have relocated abroad in search of better opportunities.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the government should prioritise restoring safety, creating jobs, and rebuilding confidence in the country rather than lecturing Nigerians who have emigrated.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Abdullahi accused the Tinubu administration of failing in critical sectors, including security, the economy, healthcare, and education, while alleging that millions of Nigerians continue to bear the consequences of those shortcomings.
According to him, the administration has shown disregard not only for Nigerians living at home but also for those who left the country in pursuit of better economic prospects.
He argued that the government had no basis to claim that Nigerians are better off at home than those living abroad when, in his view, the country continues to grapple with insecurity, economic hardship, and declining public services.
“It is sad that this government, which has shown such disdain for everyday Nigerians who are struggling under the weight of its failures, has now chosen to extend that same disregard to honest Nigerians who have japa’d in search of better opportunities,” Abdullahi said.
He further alleged that the administration had failed “on security, the economy, healthcare, education, and virtually every measure of human dignity,” insisting that the government should concentrate on solving those problems instead of making claims about improved living conditions.
The ADC spokesman maintained that the government must first guarantee the safety of lives and property, generate employment, restore economic stability, and inspire confidence among citizens before criticising Nigerians who choose to seek opportunities outside the country.
“Until this government can guarantee safety, create jobs, restore economic stability, and inspire confidence at home, it should either fix Nigeria or stop lecturing Nigerians who have simply done what the government itself has failed to do: secure a better future for themselves and their families,” he said.
Abdullahi also highlighted the economic contribution of Nigerians in the diaspora, noting that Nigeria earned about US$31.5 billion from crude oil exports in 2025, while official diaspora remittances for the same period amounted to US$21.8 billion, underscoring the significant role Nigerians abroad continue to play in supporting the nation’s economy.