The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for focusing on early political campaigns and maneuvers for the 2027 elections while neglecting urgent national challenges such as insecurity and economic hardship.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Muhammad-Baba, the Forum expressed disappointment that rather than tackling the pressing issues facing Nigerians—especially the growing insecurity in the North—the current administration appears preoccupied with political positioning for re-election.
“A most perverse illustration of reckless profligacy of public expenditure has been the revelation about insertions in the 2025 federal budget, for the provision of streetlights at a staggering and unimaginable costs of over N260 million each,” the ACF declared.
The Forum lamented that to date, no official denial or clarification had been issued regarding these controversial budgetary items. According to the group, “That there has to date been no official denial of such crassly reckless and surreal insertions attests to the insensitivity of public officials and political representatives to the plight of ordinary Nigerians, whose living conditions continue to deteriorate all round.”
Drawing attention to the insecurity ravaging various parts of the North, the ACF criticized the government’s weak response to public safety concerns, noting that past appeals for serious policy action have not yielded results.
“Delusional hubris and head-in-the-sand claims continue to characterise pronouncement by officials charged with responsibilities for security in contrast to cries of state governors on ground in locations. Such obsessions and claims only ignore or give blind eyes to possible mass disillusionment, despair, discontent, hopelessness and angst of the populace,” the Forum warned.
It also pointed out that what happens at the federal level often reflects a deeper problem within the political economy of the country, affecting governance at state and local government levels as well.
The ACF emphasized that the government’s handling of these existential problems, ranging from rising inflation, collapsing wages, and harsh living conditions, shows a disconnect with the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians. It said the people’s patience and resilience in the face of hardship should not be mistaken for complacency.
“That Nigerians continue to endure and could even celebrate occasions such as the Eid is a telling testament to their admirable resilience, which ought not to be taken for granted,” the Forum remarked.
Despite its harsh assessment of the government, the ACF congratulated Muslim faithful across the nation on the Eid-el-Kabir festival. It described the celebration as a moment of reflection on values such as sacrifice, devotion, and fellowship, which the country urgently needs from its leaders.
