APC, OPPOSITION TRADE ACCUSATIONS OVER FG’S $1BN SOCIAL SUPPORT SCHEME

The ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition parties have disagreed over the Federal Government’s newly launched $1bn Household Prosperity and Empowerment Social Protection Project, with the opposition questioning its timing ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The programme, launched in Abuja on Wednesday under the theme “From Palliatives to Pathways,” is designed to provide support to vulnerable households while helping beneficiaries move towards economic self-reliance. The Federal Government says it is intended to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection system rather than provide temporary relief alone.

According to the government, the initiative will improve the identification of vulnerable Nigerians, provide assistance during economic shocks and create pathways through which households can gradually move out of poverty.

The programme was unveiled by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who said the administration’s economic reforms were aimed at strengthening the economy but acknowledged that many families were still experiencing financial difficulties.

The government said about 7.6 million vulnerable households are targeted under the new intervention, with eligible beneficiaries expected to receive a one-off ₦40,000 digital shock-response payment. Beneficiaries will be selected from the National Social Register and verified using their National Identification Numbers.

However, the timing of the programme has triggered criticism from opposition parties, particularly because the 2027 elections are less than a year away. The African Democratic Congress questioned why the Federal Government was launching a major social intervention at a time when political activities were intensifying.

The ADC argued that the programme appeared politically convenient, given the economic hardship Nigerians have experienced following rising food, transportation and energy costs.

The opposition also demanded clarification on the funding and administration of the scheme, including the role of the First Lady in unveiling the Federal Government programme and the mechanism through which the $1bn would be accounted for.

The party questioned whether the intervention was primarily a government programme or an initiative associated with the First Lady, while calling for greater transparency over the source and management of the funds.

The APC, however, rejected the allegations, insisting that the government should not stop implementing welfare programmes simply because an election is approaching.

APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, argued that the government had a responsibility to continue delivering programmes designed to improve citizens’ welfare regardless of the electoral calendar.

He maintained that the proximity of the 2027 election did not automatically mean that the intervention was intended to influence voters, describing the timing as part of the implementation of a programme that had been in development.

The controversy has also been heightened by questions over previous government cash-transfer figures. Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar challenged the Federal Government to reconcile conflicting figures concerning the number of vulnerable households reached by its expanded cash-transfer programme.

Atiku pointed to earlier government claims that about 15 million vulnerable households had been reached, compared with a more recent figure of slightly more than 10 million households. He demanded an explanation for the difference and called for detailed records showing beneficiaries, payment tranches, state-by-state distributions, failed transactions and reversals.

He further argued that the amount reportedly disbursed by the government did not appear to correspond with the number of beneficiaries and the payments announced under the programme.

The Federal Government has maintained that its expanding social protection framework is aimed at cushioning vulnerable Nigerians from economic shocks while moving beneficiaries towards sustainable livelihoods.

As the country approaches the 2027 elections, the dispute over the $1bn initiative is expected to remain part of the broader political debate, with the APC defending it as a legitimate welfare intervention and opposition parties demanding greater transparency over its timing, funding and implementation.