The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has decried the level of hardship, poverty, and escalating insecurity in the country as President Bola Tinubu marks two years in office.

The group explained that Mr Tinubu’s government, which started with a bold economic pathway with the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the country’s naira, is now a “catastrophe” for average Nigerians.

In a statement signed by its deputy national publicity secretary, James Ezema, on the review of Mr Tinubu’s government, the CNPP expressed concerns over high inflation and prices of commodities and food.

“Two years into the much publicised ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, what Nigerians have experienced instead is renewed hardship, deepening poverty, and growing insecurity,” the group said on Friday.

It added, “This mid-term assessment is not a partisan attack, but a sincere, patriotic call to action — a necessary intervention aimed at urging the government to change course before irreparable damage is done to the soul of our nation.”

CNPP stated that, although Mr Tinubu’s reform policies aimed to correct structural imbalances, their execution did not provide for proper planning.

“The result has been catastrophic for the average Nigerian. Inflation skyrocketed and remained very high, food and transportation costs have reached unbearable levels, and the national currency has remained dangerously unstable above N1,500.00 to a dollar exchange rate. Despite claims of economic reform, the masses have seen no meaningful relief,” it said.

While identifying insecurity as one of the most troubling aspects of the administration’s performance, the CNPP said the rural communities in Zamfara to highways in Niger, and farmlands in Benue to suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) live in fear of bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and armed robbers.

The group also lamented that despite changes in the military leadership and various operations launched by Mr Tinubu’s administration, national security has not improved significantly.

According to the group, citizens are no longer confident in the government’s ability to protect lives and property.

“The CNPP believes that Nigeria has reached a critical juncture and therefore calls for a declaration of a state of emergency on insecurity.

“There must be a renewed and better-integrated national security strategy that involves the armed forces, police, local communities, and civil society. Police reform must no longer be delayed — we need decentralisation, community policing, and modern intelligence-based operations to reclaim the country from chaos.

“The Nigeria Police Force should immediately be repositioned for internal security operations as one of the armed forces closest to the masses,” the group said.