Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government’s proposed 90-day cost-of-living relief plan, describing it as an attempt to influence voters ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku’s position was conveyed by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, during a world press conference at the party’s secretariat in Abuja on Friday.
Shaibu argued that the timing of the relief plan raised questions about whether the government intended to deliver immediate assistance to Nigerians or use the announcement to gain political advantage before the next election.
He contrasted the 90-day duration of the proposed intervention with the election timetable, arguing that the plan would extend beyond the period when Nigerians cast their ballots.
“The arithmetic is plain: the plan ends after Nigerians have voted,” Shaibu said on Atiku’s behalf, criticising what he described as the administration’s decision to ask citizens who had endured years of economic hardship to wait longer for relief.
According to the ADC campaign council, the government’s plan identifies five priority areas: food affordability, tax harmonisation, the completion of important projects, the removal of investment bottlenecks and household support.
The opposition camp questioned whether the measures would provide meaningful and timely relief to households facing high food prices, rising living costs and mounting financial pressures.
The criticism comes amid continuing political debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and the effectiveness of its interventions to cushion the effects of inflation and other cost-of-living challenges.
For many Nigerian households, food affordability and purchasing power remain important concerns, placing pressure on the government to demonstrate that its policies can translate into tangible improvements in daily life.
However, the ADC’s description of the plan as election bait represents the opposition’s political assessment. The effectiveness of the proposed intervention will ultimately depend on its implementation, the timing of its benefits and the extent to which it improves conditions for affected households.