African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for a full investigation into the Federal Government’s social intervention programme following an Auditor-General’s finding that N33.75 billion in cash transfers to 3.29 million households could not be matched to verified beneficiaries.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the reported inability to verify N33.75 billion in social intervention funds as evidence of serious accountability concerns within the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The party said the finding by the Auditor-General of the Federation reinforces longstanding concerns about the management of Nigeria’s social investment programmes and raises questions about whether funds intended to support vulnerable Nigerians are reaching their designated beneficiaries.

In a statement, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the situation as a “racket” allegedly operating under the cover of social intervention.

ADC Raises Concerns Over Previous Social Investment Controversies

The party recalled previous controversies surrounding the management of Nigeria’s National Social Investment Programme, citing them as part of a broader pattern that it said requires urgent investigation.

According to the ADC, N585 million was reportedly transferred to a private account linked to former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Betta Edu, at the beginning of the Tinubu administration. The party also referred to the controversy surrounding the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) under its former head, Halima Shehu.

The ADC said these incidents, together with the latest Auditor-General’s findings, point to persistent weaknesses in the administration, monitoring and accountability of social intervention funds.

“At the time, the government made a show of suspending her. Now she is back in the President’s campaign council,” the party said, referring to Betta Edu.

The opposition party further argued that the latest report concerning N33.75 billion, reportedly contained within a larger N78 billion intervention fund, raises fresh questions about transparency in the disbursement of funds meant for Nigerians in need.

The allegations made by the ADC have not, in the statement, been established as proven findings of criminal wrongdoing. However, the party said the circumstances warrant a comprehensive and independent investigation.

ADC Questions New $1bn Social Protection Programme

The party also criticised the Federal Government’s recently announced $1 billion Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme, arguing that the administration should first demonstrate that adequate safeguards have been put in place to prevent the recurrence of problems identified in previous programmes.

“Barely weeks before this audit blew up in their faces, they wheeled out a new $1 billion so-called ‘Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme’ with the usual State House fanfare,” Abdullahi said.

“Given the familiar history, we are in no doubt that even in the unlikely event that this latest intervention is ever implemented, it would end up like the others before it: another racket.”

The ADC said expanding social intervention programmes without first strengthening transparency, beneficiary verification and financial controls could expose additional public funds to abuse.

Party Links Social Intervention Crisis to Rising Poverty

Beyond the management of social investment funds, the ADC said the growing reliance on cash transfers is a consequence of economic policies that have increased the financial pressure on Nigerian households.

The party blamed what it described as the combined effects of fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation for worsening living conditions and increasing the number of Nigerians requiring government assistance.

“Their twin disastrous policies of fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation have exploded the population of Nigerians living in extreme poverty and therefore needing cash handouts from the government, which has now become a mere pretext for stealing in the name of the poor,” the statement said.

The ADC added that rising fuel, transport and food costs have intensified pressure on households, making effective and transparent social protection more important.

“This is a government that manufactured hardship with one hand and pocketed the relief with the other. Fuel prices up. Transport costs up. Food prices up. And the one programme meant to soften the blow turns out to be a black hole. Enough is enough,” the party said.

ADC Demands Full Disclosure of Social Intervention Records

The African Democratic Congress is demanding an immediate investigation into the reported unverified payments and the broader administration of Nigeria’s social intervention programmes.

Specifically, the party called for the Federal Government to publish:

• the full register of beneficiaries under the affected programme;
• the complete REMITA payment trail for the disbursements; and
• the names of all officials alleged to have obstructed or frustrated the Auditor-General’s verification process.

ADC stated that full disclosure of the records would allow Nigerians to establish who received the funds, how the payments were processed and whether the government’s social intervention programmes are achieving their stated objectives.

The party maintained that public funds allocated to support vulnerable Nigerians must be subject to the highest standards of transparency, independent verification and accountability.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for a full investigation into the Federal Government’s social intervention programme following an Auditor-General’s finding that N33.75 billion in cash transfers to 3.29 million households could not be matched to verified beneficiaries.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the reported inability to verify N33.75 billion in social intervention funds as evidence of serious accountability concerns within the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The party said the finding by the Auditor-General of the Federation reinforces longstanding concerns about the management of Nigeria’s social investment programmes and raises questions about whether funds intended to support vulnerable Nigerians are reaching their designated beneficiaries.

In a statement, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the situation as a “racket” allegedly operating under the cover of social intervention.

ADC Raises Concerns Over Previous Social Investment Controversies

The party recalled previous controversies surrounding the management of Nigeria’s National Social Investment Programme, citing them as part of a broader pattern that it said requires urgent investigation.

According to the ADC, N585 million was reportedly transferred to a private account linked to former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Betta Edu, at the beginning of the Tinubu administration. The party also referred to the controversy surrounding the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) under its former head, Halima Shehu.

The ADC said these incidents, together with the latest Auditor-General’s findings, point to persistent weaknesses in the administration, monitoring and accountability of social intervention funds.

“At the time, the government made a show of suspending her. Now she is back in the President’s campaign council,” the party said, referring to Betta Edu.

The opposition party further argued that the latest report concerning N33.75 billion, reportedly contained within a larger N78 billion intervention fund, raises fresh questions about transparency in the disbursement of funds meant for Nigerians in need.

The allegations made by the ADC have not, in the statement, been established as proven findings of criminal wrongdoing. However, the party said the circumstances warrant a comprehensive and independent investigation.

ADC Questions New $1bn Social Protection Programme

The party also criticised the Federal Government’s recently announced $1 billion Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme, arguing that the administration should first demonstrate that adequate safeguards have been put in place to prevent the recurrence of problems identified in previous programmes.

“Barely weeks before this audit blew up in their faces, they wheeled out a new $1 billion so-called ‘Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme’ with the usual State House fanfare,” Abdullahi said.

“Given the familiar history, we are in no doubt that even in the unlikely event that this latest intervention is ever implemented, it would end up like the others before it: another racket.”

The ADC said expanding social intervention programmes without first strengthening transparency, beneficiary verification and financial controls could expose additional public funds to abuse.

Party Links Social Intervention Crisis to Rising Poverty

Beyond the management of social investment funds, the ADC said the growing reliance on cash transfers is a consequence of economic policies that have increased the financial pressure on Nigerian households.

The party blamed what it described as the combined effects of fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation for worsening living conditions and increasing the number of Nigerians requiring government assistance.

“Their twin disastrous policies of fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation have exploded the population of Nigerians living in extreme poverty and therefore needing cash handouts from the government, which has now become a mere pretext for stealing in the name of the poor,” the statement said.

The ADC added that rising fuel, transport and food costs have intensified pressure on households, making effective and transparent social protection more important.

“This is a government that manufactured hardship with one hand and pocketed the relief with the other. Fuel prices up. Transport costs up. Food prices up. And the one programme meant to soften the blow turns out to be a black hole. Enough is enough,” the party said.

ADC Demands Full Disclosure of Social Intervention Records

The African Democratic Congress is demanding an immediate investigation into the reported unverified payments and the broader administration of Nigeria’s social intervention programmes.

Specifically, the party called for the Federal Government to publish:

• the full register of beneficiaries under the affected programme;
• the complete REMITA payment trail for the disbursements; and
• the names of all officials alleged to have obstructed or frustrated the Auditor-General’s verification process.

ADC stated that full disclosure of the records would allow Nigerians to establish who received the funds, how the payments were processed and whether the government’s social intervention programmes are achieving their stated objectives.

The party maintained that public funds allocated to support vulnerable Nigerians must be subject to the highest standards of transparency, independent verification and accountability.