A chieftain of the Labour Party, LP, in Ebonyi State, Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, has raised the alarm over the rising cost of living in the country under the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, while also criticising the economic policies of the federal government,

He expressed worry that the economy has negatively impacted the purchasing power of many households and deepened hardship across the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Ezeh described the situation as a progression from “broken pockets” to “broken dreams” and ultimately “broken homes and a broken society.”

He attributed the widespread economic and social distress to policy failures and inadequate accountability under the APC administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that the consequences of economic hardship are no longer confined to household finances, but are increasingly affecting businesses, employment, family stability and Nigerians’ confidence in the future.

“Broken pockets, broken dreams, broken homes, broken society. That is the apt description of everyday life in Nigeria today,” Ezeh said.

He argued that the removal of petrol subsidy and other economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had imposed substantial short-term pressures on households and businesses.

President Tinubu announced the end of the petrol subsidy at his inauguration on May 29, 2023, while his administration has consistently defended the measure as necessary to address fiscal pressures and redirect public resources towards infrastructure and social development.

But Ezeh said the immediate burden of the reforms had been particularly severe for low-income households, small businesses and young Nigerians struggling to secure employment.

The Labour Party chieftain expressed concern over the impact of the economic environment on businesses and employment, citing the closure or downsizing of some retail outlets and enterprises.

“When pockets are broken, dreams are broken too. And when dreams are broken, the family becomes the next casualty,” he said.

He alleged that many Nigerian households were now being forced to make difficult choices between food, healthcare, education, transportation and other basic necessities.

Recall that in his third-anniversary address in May 2026, President Tinubu said the country had faced mounting fiscal pressures, unsustainable fuel subsidies, declining revenues, exchange-rate distortions, rising debt-servicing costs and energy constraints when his administration assumed office.

The President acknowledged that the reforms had imposed significant sacrifices on families, workers and businesses, but argued that they were necessary to stabilise the economy and establish the foundation for long-term recovery.

Recent data published by the National Bureau of Statistics also show that Nigeria’s economy recorded real GDP growth of 3.89 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, while the latest inflation figures displayed by the agency put headline inflation at 15.39 per cent and food inflation at 19.57 per cent under the rebased Consumer Price Index.

Ezeh, however, maintained that macroeconomic indicators must ultimately translate into improved living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

He challenged political leaders in the South-East, including those supporting President Tinubu’s re-election bid, to make the interest of citizens central to the political debate ahead of 2027.

“Senator Pius Anyim, Senator David Umahi, Professor Charles Soludo, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Governor Hope Uzodimma and every other influential South-East political leader have the democratic right to support any candidate or political alignment they consider appropriate.

“Citizens, however, possess an equal democratic right to scrutinise those choices.”

Ezeh said the 2027 political debate should go beyond zoning, ethnic calculations and political alliances to focus on policies capable of addressing unemployment, enterprise development, security, infrastructure and accountable governance.

He also urged Nigerians to examine the records and policy proposals of political parties and candidates before making their electoral choices.

“The real question is which policies, alliances and leadership decisions offer Nigerians, including Ndigbo, credible prospects for jobs, enterprise, security, infrastructure and accountable governance,” he said.

Ezeh maintained that the 2027 election should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess competing visions for the country’s future.

He said rebuilding public confidence would require leadership that treats governance as a responsibility rather than an entitlement.

“A nation does not die only when its economy fails. It dies when its people stop believing that tomorrow can be better than today,” Ezeh said.

He called for greater institutional accountability, economic policies that protect vulnerable citizens and a political culture centred on service, inclusion and measurable development.

Ezeh said the task before Nigerians in 2027 would therefore extend beyond changing political office holders to determining the policy direction, institutional priorities and leadership standards that would shape the country’s next phase of development.

Air Peace has attributed the cancellation of its Abuja-Maiduguri flight on Saturday to aviation fuel shortage in Abuja and a subsequent restriction on operations at the Maiduguri airport.

The airline said the initial delays to its Abuja operations were caused by the unavailability of Jet A1 aviation fuel, which also affected other airlines operating from the airport.

It added that the situation improved after fuel became available and affected flights resumed, but its Abuja-Maiduguri service could not operate after the Maiduguri control tower withdrew an earlier extension for the flight to arrive beyond sunset.

Air Peace disclosed this in a statement following videos and reports of passengers expressing frustration over the disruption at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Why the flight was cancelled

According to the airline, the Maiduguri flight was initially expected to operate after the delay in Abuja operations had been resolved.

It said the control tower at the Maiduguri airport had initially granted an extension for the flight to arrive, but later, around the time passengers were being called for boarding, informed the airline that the airport had become subject to visual flight rules and would no longer operate beyond sunset.

Visual flight rules, or VFR, generally require pilots to operate with specified visual conditions rather than relying on instrument flight procedures.

Air Peace said the change meant it could no longer operate the Abuja-Maiduguri service as planned.

The airline noted that it subsequently cancelled the flight and made arrangements to accommodate the affected passengers in a hotel.

It added that arrangements had been made to operate the flight the following day.

Passengers’ rights

The disruption comes amid increased scrutiny of flight delays and cancellations in Nigeria, as well as of how airlines handle passengers when services are disrupted.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recorded 7,961 domestic flights in August, of which 4,765 were delayed, and 36 were cancelled.

Air Peace accounted for 1,330 of the delayed flights in the NCAA’s dataset, representing 71.4 per cent of the 1,864 flights recorded for the airline.

The airline, however, disputed the figures, saying it operated 2,564 flights during the month and that more than 700 flights were not captured in the NCAA data. It also said only 391 of its delayed flights were caused by factors within its operations.

The latest disruption also comes days after the NCAA directed Air Peace to prepare a compensation package for passengers affected by a delayed Lagos-Enugu flight.

The regulator said its preliminary investigation found that the airline had sent passengers the wrong notification about the rescheduled flight.

READ ALSO: Air Peace offers 25 per cent ticket discount to passengers over aborted Lagos-Enugu flight

Under the NCAA’s Part 19 regulations, airlines have obligations to passengers during delays and cancellations, including providing information and assistance within specified circumstances. For domestic flights, passengers are entitled to refreshments after a two-hour delay, while longer disruptions can trigger reimbursement, rerouting, accommodation, and, in qualifying circumstances, compensation.

The NCAA has also repeatedly stressed the importance of timely information and passenger care during disruptions.

Air Peace’s response

Air Peace said passengers affected by Saturday’s disruption were informed about the delays and provided with refreshments.

Following the cancellation, the airline said the affected passengers were provided with hotel accommodation and that arrangements were being made for the flight to operate the next day.

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our esteemed passengers and appreciate their patience and understanding,” the airline said.

It added that the safety and well-being of passengers remained its priority.