The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David A. B. Mark, GCON, on Monday inaugurated the party’s Policy and Manifesto Committee, charging its members to produce practical, people-focused solutions capable of easing the hardship facing Nigerians and restoring national hope.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held on Monday, February 2, 2026, Senator Mark said the occasion was significant not merely because a committee was being constituted, but because of the enormous responsibility it placed on the party as a “rescue mission” in a country he described as being in deep distress.
He painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s socio-economic condition under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, noting that families are working harder while earning less, food prices are rising faster than incomes, electricity remains unreliable despite soaring tariffs, and insecurity continues to cripple social and economic life.
According to him, Nigerians are experiencing one of the worst periods of poverty and hardship in the nation’s history, a situation he attributed to what he described as “needlessly vicious policies” of the current government.
“What Nigerians are desperately looking for are credible alternative ideas, actions and policies—policies that improve their lives today and lay a solid foundation for the future, policies that show compassion,” Mark said.
The ADC chairman stressed that Nigerians are no longer interested in clever arguments or academic policy documents disconnected from reality, but in governance that demonstrates empathy, clarity, courage and measurable impact on daily life.
He argued that Nigeria’s challenge has never been a lack of ideas, but a persistent failure to translate ideas into outcomes that matter to ordinary citizens. He warned the committee against producing policies that merely sound intelligent without addressing root causes of national problems.
Senator Mark criticised the government’s reliance on macro-economic statistics, such as revenue growth and GDP figures, saying such numbers are meaningless if they do not lift people out of poverty. He insisted that economic progress must be judged by its effect on citizens’ welfare, not by figures alone.
Using energy as an example, he said expensive and unreliable power supply destroys productivity, jobs and livelihoods, stressing that any serious policy framework must prioritise affordable and accessible energy. On fuel subsidy removal, he noted that the real issue is not ideology but whether Nigerians paying higher prices can see tangible benefits in their lives—something he said is clearly absent.
He challenged the committee to clearly articulate what the ADC would do differently, insisting that the party’s response must be firm, measurable and free of propaganda.
The ADC chairman also highlighted transportation, food security, agriculture, security, healthcare, education, jobs, small businesses and the informal economy as critical sectors requiring integrated, realistic solutions. He warned that insecurity must be addressed as a lived reality affecting farms, schools, communities and economic activity, not merely as a budgetary item.
On education, Senator Mark described it as a non-negotiable pillar of development and urged the committee to explore bold measures, including the possibility of criminalising parents’ failure to send children to school.
He further stressed the need for strong internal party safeguards to prevent the capture of the ADC by any single individual, regardless of wealth or influence, and underscored the importance of strong institutions, accountability and coordination in governance.
The chairman charged committee members to engage widely, listen to farmers, traders, workers, parents, millennials, Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha, and test every policy idea against a simple question: does it reduce suffering or merely rearrange it?
“Nigeria does not need rhetoric. She needs honest thinking and workable solutions,” he said, adding that the ADC must distinguish itself by seriousness, performance and reality, not noise or empty promises.
Formally inaugurating the committee, Senator Mark urged members to break into sub-committees according to their expertise and to co-opt professionals who can add value to the assignment.
He expressed confidence that the committee’s work would help build a party that understands the country it seeks to lead and restore Nigerians’ belief that leadership can ease pain and renew hope.
The event was attended by members of the ADC National Working Committee, party leaders, elders, committee members and members of the press.
