ADC labels Tinubu govt's N33.75bn cash transfers an 'organised racket'
ADC accuses President Bola Tinubu’s administration of turning social intervention programmes into a criminal enterprise that benefits officials rather than poor Nigerians. The allegation follows an Auditor-General of the Federation report that could not verify N33.75 billion in cash transfers to 3.29 million households. ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi called the finding an organised racket, not mere mismanagement.
The party said the latest unverified transfers fit a pattern of problems in previous interventions, citing reports that N585 million was allegedly moved to a private account linked to former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu and another N44 billion remained unaccounted for under former NSIPA boss Halima Shehu. ADC also criticised the government’s new $1 billion Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme, arguing that without stronger safeguards it would suffer the same fate. The party linked the rising need for cash transfers to economic hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluation, accusing the government of creating hardship with one hand and pocketing relief with the other.
ADC demanded a full investigation, immediate publication of the complete beneficiary register, REMITA payment records, and the names of officials who allegedly obstructed the Auditor-General’s work. Will Nigerians push for transparency and accountability in social intervention funds, or accept the current pattern of alleged misuse?