ADC: Tinubu manipulating infrastructure data to cover up regional bias

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of manipulating infrastructure data to cover up allegations of nepotism and regional bias.

In a statement on Tuesday, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC national publicity secretary, said the federal government’s newly released infrastructure report exposed “cronyism, sloppiness, and lack of equitable distribution of projects”.

Abdullahi described the report, titled ‘Infrastructure Equity for Every Region. Progress for Every Nigerian. The Renewed Hope Agenda in Action’, as a “panicked propaganda attempt at damage control.”

“It should be noted that this is the first time any government in Nigeria would be so hard-pressed to prove that it has actually given all parts of the country a sense of belonging,” Abdullahi said.

“But the reason is clear: this is the most divisive government we have ever had, where government business is run like an exclusive membership club.

“Unfortunately for the administration, in a desperate attempt to defend its records, it ended up convicting itself with obviously manipulated evidence.

“For avoidance of doubt, the so-called infrastructure progress report, rather than exonerate the government, actually showcases the cronyism, sloppiness, and lack of equitable distribution of projects and spending that this APC government has become widely renowned for.”

He accused the administration of misclassifying projects across regions to inflate records of performance in the north-west.

According to him, the Damaturu–Maiduguri road, located in the north-east, was falsely listed under north-west projects.

Abdullahi also cited the Bama and Dikwa roads in Borno, and the Lokoja–Okene dualisation project in Kogi, which he said were “mysteriously reclassified” as north-west projects.

He said the Benue–9th Mile road, a north-central project, was also incorrectly listed.

Abdullahi alleged that some projects were counted twice to pad the figures, while several projects listed were initiated under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We know that budgets have allegedly been padded by this administration, but this is the first time we have seen infographics padded with such brazen creativity,” he said.

“At this point, one thing is clear: the Presidential Media Team’s colourful, propaganda-filled infographics cannot mask the darker truths behind these projects.”

He accused the presidency of awarding contracts without following due process and handing them to “cronies, political financiers, and economic oligarchs”.

Abdullahi also faulted the “lack of transparency” in project costs and funding, particularly on the Badagry–Sokoto highway.

He added that the Tinubu administration had followed the same pattern when responding to nepotism allegations in political appointments.

“At a time when our nation needs equity and unity more than ever, this government appears committed to deepening the fractures that divide us,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC urged the administration to abandon what it called “dishonest politics of propaganda” and embrace fairness, inclusion, and transparency.

“No amount of spin can substitute for justice — geographically, politically, or economically,” Abdullahi said.