The African Democratic Congress has launched a scathing on President Bola Tinubu’s Social Intervention Programme, calling it an organised racket designed to exploit the poor. National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi delivered the accusation in a statement released Monday, citing a damning Auditor-General report.
What triggered this outcry? The Auditor-General found that N33.75 billion in cash transfers to 3.29 million households cannot be verified or matched to any confirmed beneficiaries.
The opposition party didn’t stop there. Abdullahi pointed to a pattern of alleged corruption stretching back to the administration’s early days. He recalled how N585 million was reportedly transferred to a private account under Betta Edu before she was suspended. Another N44 billion allegedly disappeared from the National Social Investment Programme Agency under Halima Shehu’s watch.
“They are stealing from the poor and telling them to continue to endure hardship,” Abdullahi stated bluntly. The party questioned why the government announced an even larger $1 billion package without first addressing transparency concerns or implementing accountability measures for past interventions.
The allegations raise serious questions about oversight mechanisms in Nigeria’s social welfare programmes at a time when millions struggle with economic hardship.
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