The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that he is out of touch with the hardship faced by Nigerians.
This follows President Tinubu’s address to leaders and coordinators of his Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, where he said that the opposition does not scare him. He also expressed confidence that he has walked this path before and would walk it again if necessary.
Reacting to the President’s remarks on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, asserted that Tinubu’s utterances did not reflect the confidence of a leader in control.
“It was the anxiety of a President increasingly disconnected from the reality of hardship, insecurity, and frustration facing millions of citizens. At a time when families are battling a historic cost of living crisis, food inflation, rising debt burdens, and collapsing purchasing power, the President chose to mock the opposition instead of addressing the suffering of Nigerians,” Abdullahi said.
He lamented that even as the President spoke, reports of children being abducted from examination centres were circulating, describing it as evidence of worsening insecurity in the country while government attention appears distracted. “This is the reality of today’s Nigeria — where insecurity is spreading deeper into everyday life while government appears distracted.”
Abdullahi argued that the President should not be ridiculing the opposition but should instead be concerned that many Nigerians are dissatisfied with his government, which he accused of implementing ill-conceived policies that have worsened living conditions.
He referenced the aforementioned as reasons the President should be concerned, adding that citizens are determined to vote out his administration.
He dismissed what he described as false claims regarding the ADC National Convention, saying: “We also reject the false narrative around the ADC National Convention. We did not hold our convention on the street. If that was the story supplied to the President by agents of disruption, then he has been misinformed.
“But even if any opposition party were forced to gather outside established venues, Nigerians would understand why. Under this administration, democratic space has shrunk significantly. No government before now had denied political parties fair access to public venues such as Eagle Square, a national civic ground that belongs to all Nigerians, not to any ruling party.”
Abdullahi further stated that the President cannot assume the roles of a judge, political referee, and commentator on judicial matters while also serving as head of the executive arm of government.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot be a President and a judge at the same time,” he noted, stressing that a true commitment to separation of powers would prevent the weakening of institutions meant to serve as checks and balances.
He equally alleged that the legislature has, on many occasions, appeared to function as an extension of executive influence.
Responding to President Tinubu’s remark that he “took over from himself” and that the late President Muhammadu Buhari was him, Abdullahi said: “After years of distancing himself from the late President and denigrating his record, blaming him for every failure of his government, it is hypocritical to suddenly make a U-turn because of the coming election. It is too late.”
He reiterated that hardship is increasing, insecurity is worsening, debt is mounting, and hope is fading, maintaining that no amount of political rhetoric can conceal the situation.
He reaffirmed the ADC’s commitment to building a credible alternative anchored on competence, security, prosperity, and democratic freedom, adding that Nigerians deserve better than excuses, propaganda, and power struggles.
