The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of turning the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes into what it described as an organised scheme that exploits the poor.
The opposition party made the allegation on Monday in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.
The ADC was reacting to findings attributed to the Auditor-General, which indicated that N33.75 billion reportedly transferred to 3.29 million households could not be verified.
The party said the development reinforced concerns over the transparency and accountability of government-managed social investment programmes.
According to the ADC, the latest revelation was part of a wider pattern of controversies surrounding the administration’s handling of social intervention funds. It referenced previous reports involving funds associated with the National Social Investment Programme Agency.
The opposition party also recalled the reported transfer of N585 million to a private account linked to former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, as well as allegations surrounding another N44 billion said to have gone missing from the National Social Investment Programme Agency under Halima Shehu.
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The ADC argued that rather than addressing concerns arising from previous programmes, the Federal Government had announced a larger $1 billion social intervention package without, according to the party, demonstrating sufficient measures to strengthen transparency and accountability.
Describing the situation as an “organised racket,” the party alleged that vulnerable Nigerians were being deprived of funds intended to cushion the effects of economic hardship.
The ADC called for greater scrutiny of social intervention programmes and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure that funds allocated for poor and vulnerable Nigerians actually reach their intended beneficiaries.
The allegations by the opposition party are based on its interpretation of the Auditor-General’s findings and previous controversies surrounding social investment programmes.