Rauf Aregbesola, former governor of Osun state and national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has described the “renewed hope” agenda of Bola Tinubu as a scam.
Speaking at the party’s 8th national convention in Abuja on Tuesday, Aregbesola said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) lacks vision and has worsened the country’s economic and governance situation.
“The ruling party never had a vision; its renewed hope agenda was a scam,” he said.
Aregbesola said the ADC represents “the only hope” for Nigerians, adding that the party is on a mission to “rescue” the country from what he described as the failings of the APC.
He accused the ruling party of undermining the electoral process, alleging that it had enabled a system where electoral offences such as forgery and false claims are no longer effectively punished.
The former minister also criticised the government’s handling of the economy, dismissing claims that recent exchange rate trends reflect sound economic management.
According to him, the naira has depreciated significantly since the current administration assumed office in 2023.
“In truth, the exchange rate, which was about N700 to the dollar when this government assumed office, is now about N1,400. This amounts to a 100 percent devaluation,” he said.
He added that the impact has been severe in an import-dependent economy like Nigeria’s, worsening the cost of living for citizens.
Aregbesola also highlighted the sharp rise in fuel prices, noting that petrol, which previously sold between N185 and N238 per litre, now costs about N1,400.
“The cost of transportation is now so prohibitive that it has become unrealistic for some workers to go to work,” he said.
On power supply, the ADC chieftain said the situation has deteriorated, with some parts of the country receiving only a few hours of electricity daily, while others experience prolonged outages.
He argued that based on earlier promises made by the administration, failure to deliver on key issues such as electricity should preclude any bid for re-election.
“Ordinarily, having made such a promise and failed woefully, an honest president should simply step down and not seek re-election,” he said.
Aregbesola further alleged that there are ongoing attempts to retain power “at all costs,” warning of potential risks to Nigeria’s democratic system.
