FRI APRIL 24 2026-theGBJournal| The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Legislators’ Forum has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over a fresh request to the Senate seeking approval for an additional $516.3 million external loan for the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway project.
The forum described the move as deeply concerning, arguing that it reflects a growing reliance on borrowing with insufficient attention to fiscal sustainability, transparency, and the long-term economic implications for the country.
”This request is not only alarming but emblematic of an administration that has made reckless borrowing its default economic policy, with little regard for sustainability, accountability, or the wellbeing of future generations,” ADC said in a statement signed by the party’s National Legislators’ Forum.
According to the Forum: ”While no responsible opposition undermines the importance of infrastructure development, we must ask: at what cost, and under what conditions? This government has failed to convincingly demonstrate that its endless appetite for loans is guided by a coherent, transparent, and economically viable repayment strategy.
Instead, Nigerians are witnessing a troubling pattern; one where debt accumulation is prioritized over prudent fiscal management, innovation, and domestic resource mobilization.”
The party notes that Nigeria is already weighed down by a crushing debt burden, with debt servicing swallowing a staggering proportion of national revenue.
”Yet, rather than confronting this reality with discipline and reform, the Tinubu administration continues to plunge the country deeper into what can only be described as a looming debt catastrophe. Each new loan tightens the noose around the nation’s economic sovereignty, leaving future generations to pay for today’s lack of foresight.
Even more disturbing is the timing of this request. As the nation inches closer to a major general election cycle, Nigerians are right to question the motives behind this borrowing spree. Is this truly about development, or is it another attempt to create avenues for political patronage and electoral advantage? History has taught us to be wary of last-minute, large-scale financial commitments made under the guise of national interest.
The ADC Legislators’ Forum insists that the National Assembly must not act as a rubber stamp or Pro group of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in this matter. The Senate, in particular, must rise to its constitutional responsibility by demanding full disclosure of the project’s financial details, procurement processes, cost-benefit analysis, and a credible repayment plan. Anything short of this would amount to a betrayal of public trust.
Furthermore, we call on the administration to redirect its focus toward policies that can genuinely strengthen Nigeria’s economy; policies that promote productivity, industrial growth, job creation, and the plugging of revenue leakages. Borrowing should never be a substitute for leadership, creativity, and accountability.
We must clearly state that governance is not a free ride without consequences. Those who make decisions today that endanger the economic future of millions of Nigerians must understand that a day of reckoning will inevitably come. The Nigerian people will demand answers, accountability, and justice for policies that have deepened hardship and mortgaged the nation’s destiny.
Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads. We can either choose the path of responsibility, discipline, and sustainable growth, or continue down this perilous road of debt dependency and economic vulnerability. The Tinubu administration must decide where it stands; but Nigerians are watching, and history will not be kind to those who fail this nation.”
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