ADC Accuses Tinubu of Panic over CNG Transport Plan

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of acting out of political fear following the Federal Government’s renewed push to expand the use of compressed natural gas, CNG, in public transportation.

The opposition party said the government’s decision to work with state governors on measures to reduce transportation costs was coming too late, arguing that Nigerians had endured high transport fares and rising living costs for years.

The ADC made its position known through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, while reacting to an emergency meeting between President Tinubu and the governors on Friday.

The party questioned why the government did not introduce a large-scale CNG transport programme when the removal of the petrol subsidy first caused a sharp increase in transportation costs.

According to the ADC, the sudden attention being given to cheaper CNG-powered transportation was linked to the approach of the 2027 general election rather than a long-term response to the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians.

The opposition party also connected the development to its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has made the cost of living and targeted production subsidies central issues in his political campaign.

The ADC argued that the government’s latest actions suggested that it had been aware of possible measures for reducing the impact of high transport costs but failed to implement them earlier.

The party said Nigerians had repeatedly complained about expensive transportation, rising food prices and declining purchasing power, but the administration had largely called on citizens to endure the effects of its economic reforms.

It maintained that the timing of the new intervention raised questions about the government’s intentions, particularly as political parties prepare for the 2027 presidential election.

The ADC further accused the administration of reacting to growing opposition pressure rather than independently addressing the hardship experienced by citizens.

The party said the government’s renewed interest in CNG-powered transportation could have been introduced much earlier if reducing transport costs had been treated as an urgent national priority.

It also criticised what it described as the hurried nature of the measures being considered, arguing that genuine economic relief should not depend on the proximity of an election.

The opposition party said Nigerians would be able to distinguish between policies introduced to provide lasting relief and measures designed mainly to improve a government’s electoral prospects.

The ADC further claimed that the Tinubu administration had failed to adequately address major concerns surrounding insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of living.

The party maintained that the government’s response to the transportation crisis would be judged by the actual impact of the measures on ordinary Nigerians rather than by the announcements surrounding them.

It said any effort capable of lowering transportation costs should have been pursued from the beginning of the administration’s economic reforms instead of being treated as an emergency several years later.

The ADC therefore challenged the Federal Government to demonstrate that the proposed expansion of CNG-powered transportation would provide affordable and lasting relief to commuters across the country, rather than serve as a short-term political response ahead of the 2027 election.