The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of manipulating food prices and weaponising hunger for political advantage, describing the administration’s claims of increased local production as “propaganda and deception.”
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said it was “dishonest” for the Tinubu-led government to celebrate a supposed drop in food prices when many farmers, particularly in the northern region, had been displaced by banditry and could no longer afford fertilisers or other key inputs.
“The Tinubu government is manipulating food prices and weaponising hunger for political gains,” the statement read.
“The reported drop in prices is artificial, driven by import waivers that have flooded the market with cheap foreign food. This is not evidence of increased production, but rather a short-term measure that sabotages local farmers and undermines food sovereignty.”
The ADC said the temporary decline in prices was “unsustainable and driven by panic, not strategy or planning,” warning that such policies would cripple the agricultural sector in the long run.
It also questioned why the government would hoard imported food while millions of Nigerians go hungry, describing the act as “callous and inhumane.”
“If, as the government claims, imported food has not been released into the market, then why is it being hoarded while citizens starve? What kind of administration stores food in warehouses during a hunger crisis?” Abdullahi asked.
Calling for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s agricultural policy, the party urged the government to prioritise rural security, stabilise input costs, and support local producers instead of relying on import-dependent stopgap measures.
“The Nigerian people deserve truth and food, not manipulation and a false narrative of renewed hope,” the statement concluded.
