The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged Nigerian youths to reject President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of failing to address unemployment, poverty and the rising cost of living.

The council also faulted the federal government’s reported petrol price discount, describing it as misleading and insisting that motorists were still paying more than ₦1,400 per litre at filling stations.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the call during an interaction with ADC youth leaders in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State at the weekend.

Ologbondiyan said the APC had failed to deliver meaningful improvements in the lives of young Nigerians despite spending more than a decade in power.

He argued that many graduates remained without decent jobs, forcing some to resort to petty trading, recharge card sales and point-of-sale (POS) businesses to survive.

“As youths, you have spent almost 12 years under the APC government confronting difficult economic circumstances, with many graduates struggling to find decent employment,” he said.

Ologbondiyan questioned the impact of the reported petrol price discount, which he said the government claimed would reduce the pump price to ₦1,350 per litre.

“Check the filling stations in your neighbourhood, and you will discover that Nigerians are still paying above ₦1,400 per litre. What, then, is the reality behind this so-called discount?” he queried.

He maintained that the reported reduction had not translated into meaningful relief for Nigerians, who continue to contend with high transportation costs and rising business expenses.

“No Nigerian should be asked to celebrate a discount that exists only in government announcements while the reality at the filling stations tells a different story,” he said.

The ADC-PCC spokesman added that reports of queues at filling stations underscored the difficulties consumers continued to face in accessing petrol.

He accused the Tinubu administration of relying on public announcements and publicity instead of implementing measures that would ease the economic burden on citizens.

“After years in government, Nigerians deserve more than promises, excuses and propaganda. They deserve policies that work and leadership that understands their pain,” Ologbondiyan stated.

He urged young Nigerians to support the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, whom he said had proposed a more transparent and people-oriented approach to economic management.

According to him, the Atiku/Amaechi ticket would prioritise citizens’ welfare and pursue reforms in the petroleum sector that would be transparent and responsive to the needs of Nigerians.

“Atiku Abubakar understands the pain Nigerians are going through. His approach will be guided by transparency, accountability and the need to ease the burden on ordinary citizens,” he said.

Ologbondiyan called on youths to mobilise support for the ADC across their communities and wards, urging them to assess the presidential candidates based on their records, policies and commitment to the country’s future.

He said young Nigerians deserved decent jobs, affordable living conditions and opportunities to improve their livelihoods, adding that they should not support a government whose promises, in the council’s assessment, had not produced the expected results.

“Do not allow yourselves to be deceived again by promises that are not matched by results. Your future is too important to be sacrificed on the altar of political propaganda,” he said.

“Nigerian youths deserve decent jobs, affordable living conditions, opportunities to succeed and a government that takes their aspirations seriously. Nigeria deserves better,” he added.