“Nigerians Want Compassion, Not Clever Arguments” — David Mark
By Nelson Ogbu
The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David A. B. Mark (GCON), on Monday said Nigerians were desperate for compassionate governance and practical policies, not clever arguments detached from their daily struggles.
Speaking at the inauguration of the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee in Abuja, Senator Mark said rising poverty, insecurity, high food and energy costs, and worsening living conditions had pushed Nigerians to the brink, stressing that government must respond with empathy and action.
According to him, while hardship and poverty have always existed, the situation under the APC-led administration had become more severe due to policies that failed to reflect the realities of ordinary citizens. He noted that Nigerians were not interested in rhetoric or statistics but in policies that clearly reduce suffering and restore dignity.
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Senator Mark said Nigeria does not suffer from a shortage of ideas but from the inability to translate policy into real-life benefits. He urged the committee to focus on people-centred solutions in critical sectors such as energy, transportation, food and agriculture, healthcare, education, security, and job creation.
He emphasised that economic growth figures meant little when families could no longer afford food, transportation, healthcare, or electricity, adding that true progress must be measured by its impact on people’s lives.
The ADC chairman charged the committee to listen beyond experts and engage farmers, traders, workers, parents, and young people, insisting that every policy proposal must answer one key question: does it reduce suffering or merely rearrange it?
Responding on behalf of the committee, its Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, pledged the group’s full commitment to delivering policies that would improve the lives of Nigerians. He said the ADC was determined to offer a clear departure from what he described as the failed governance of the APC and expressed confidence that the party would take over power in 2027.
The committee is expected to work through specialised sub-groups and engage professionals to produce a practical manifesto anchored on compassion, accountability, and service to the people.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 2ND 2026)
