Rauf Aregbesola, interim national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has raised a stark alarm about Nigeria’s deteriorating economic and social conditions, stating that the cost of living has become so extreme that starvation is now “literally stalking the land.”
Writing on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Aregbesola shared reflections from a recent ADC affirmation ceremony in Lagos State. The event marked the formal defection of key members from the PDP, Labour Party, and other groups into the ADC, signaling a growing coalition ahead of upcoming political shifts.
In his speech, Aregbesola invoked the wisdom of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who in 1983 spoke of political evolution as a process of thesis meeting antithesis to form a new synthesis. Applying that philosophical lens to Nigeria today, Aregbesola warned that the current political and economic system—riddled with insecurity, hunger, and unaffordable healthcare—is unsustainable.
“Medical care has become a luxury,” he said. “People are dying because they cannot afford medicine. Those with means are besieged by pleas for help. A society cannot survive under this level of pressure.”
He emphasized that any government that fails to prioritize the welfare of its citizens will ultimately lose relevance and collapse, regardless of its form—democratic, authoritarian, or otherwise.
“There’s only so far you can push a people before they push back,” Aregbesola warned.
He called for immediate and decisive action to avert a national crisis, describing the ADC as a new political home for Nigerians seeking genuine change. According to Aregbesola, the growing interest in the ADC across party lines shows a hunger for transformation that cannot be ignored.
“Our mission is urgent,” he concluded. “A political party is not just a platform for power—it must be a vessel for the people’s will.”
