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By Tracy Moses
The Labour Party (LP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has faulted what it described as the ruling All Progressives Congress’ obsession with 2027 politics, warning that the government is abandoning its core responsibility to protect and uplift Nigerians. The lawmakers slammed the APC’s posture as insensitive, tone-deaf, and a troubling display of misplaced priorities.
They argued that while President Bola Tinubu is entitled to seek a second term, the welfare and security of the people, not politics, should take precedence, especially at a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented hardship.
In a statement issued by the Leader of the Labour Party Caucus in the House, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, the lawmakers stressed that the essence of governance is the protection and well-being of citizens. Yet, according to them, the APC-led government appears more invested in political positioning than in solving Nigeria’s deepening crises. Ogene expressed shock that despite escalating security threats across the country, the ruling party continues to offer what he described as cosmetic solutions rather than confronting the crisis with urgency.
The statement noted that insecurity has surged nationwide while the administration struggles to fund critical components of the budget and account for public resources. This failure, they said, has triggered continuous protests by local contractors owed for completed projects, a situation that has crippled development and worsened economic pressures. In recent weeks, some of these contractors have resorted to staging vigils at the Ministry of Finance, demanding payment and transparency.
According to the LP caucus, the Appropriation Act, the legal framework guiding federal spending, is routinely ignored by the current administration. They cited the irony of government embarking on huge undertakings such as the multi-trillion-naira coastal highway without proper appropriation or due process, while vital federal roads remain in terrible shape. With the festive season approaching, citizens face not only dangerous journeys on dilapidated highways but also a heightened fear of kidnapping.
The lawmakers also raised alarm over the N17.5 trillion reportedly spent in 2024 alone on a pipeline-security contract, as disclosed in the latest audited accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). They described the expenditure as suspicious and unacceptable, noting that in 12 years, the nation spent roughly the same amount, N18 trillion, on fuel subsidy, which had wider benefits for ordinary Nigerians. They accused the administration of “robbing Peter to pay Paul” through a questionable contract awarded to unnamed beneficiaries.
The statement painted a troubling portrait of governance in Nigeria, saying the executive has fallen short of expectations, the judiciary faces public doubt, and the legislature has failed to exercise its constitutional oversight due to moral compromise.
“Our dear country has become a marketplace where everything, including public trust, now has a price,” the caucus declared. “Kidnappers demand ransom; public officials look the other way for a fee; opposition figures are manipulated for political gain; even religious leaders are not spared from the effects of a heavily monetized political environment.”
They further lamented that as 2025 draws to a close, most MDAs cannot boast of achieving even 10 percent of their capital budget execution, with some recording none at all. Yet, they noted, government officials continue business as usual without explaining the whereabouts of funds meant for development projects.
The caucus added that Nigeria is “on a dangerous downward slide,” citing local contractors occupying the Ministry of Finance, retired police officers protesting at the National Assembly gate, and daily kidnapping incidents, all met with government’s superficial responses like launching new vehicles under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“While the country is at the brink, what seems to preoccupy Mr. President is how to return to office in 2027,” they said. “Mr. President, your ambition is legitimate, but Nigerians are facing grim realities that require immediate and sincere attention.”
They highlighted the deplorable state of roads, where a trip that once took six hours between Abuja or Lagos and the South-South or South-East now lasts an entire day, with the added fear of kidnapping along the way.
The statement also acknowledged internal reflections within the National Assembly, with some lawmakers admitting complicity arising from financial inducements. It lamented that many Nigerians now regard the 10th Assembly as the worst in the nation’s democratic history, reduced to rubber-stamping the executive without delivering any tangible benefit to citizens. This, they said, amounts to “economic banditry.”
The caucus warned that Nigeria cannot continue on this “dangerous path” and urged both the ruling party and the opposition to put aside political calculations and prioritize Nigerians’ welfare. “The people are the foundation of democracy,” the statement concluded. “Their interests must come first.”