The African Democratic Congress has criticized President Bola Tinubu over his comments on the opposition, stating that the President should focus on defeating terrorists rather than fighting political opponents.
In a statement on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said it was disturbing that the President made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria while the country continues to grapple with widespread insecurity, including a recent deadly attack in Kaduna State.
During the meeting, President Tinubu, reacting to a call by the bishops for free and fair elections, stated, “All is fair in politics, and there is equal opportunity.”
He added, “INEC is neutral. It has never, ever intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolf, then they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the company they keep.”
Reacting to the comments, the ADC described President Tinubu as Nigeria’s “Statement Maker-in-Chief,” accusing the All Progressives Congress administration of responding to security breaches with mere condemnations rather than decisive action.
The party expressed deep concern that the President chose a meeting with Catholic Bishops to declare he was prepared to fight politically at a time when citizens continue to live under the threat of terrorism, banditry, and violent crime.
Abdullahi stated, “Mr. President, the fight Nigerians elected you to lead is not against the opposition. It is against the terrorists, kidnappers, and armed criminals who continue to kill innocent citizens and destabilize communities across the country.”
He added, “Only hours before the President’s remarks, at least 30 people were killed in a late-night attack on Naridon village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Homes were burnt, families were displaced, and another community was left devastated by an attack that should never have happened.”
The ADC spokesperson continued, “Yet, the President, whose primary duty is to protect and preserve Nigerian lives, has chosen instead to serve as Nigeria’s Statement Maker-in-Chief. After every attack comes another statement. After every massacre comes another condemnation. After every tragedy comes another expression of sympathy. Nigerians did not elect a Commander-in-Chief to become the nation’s chief issuer of condolence statements.”
The party added that it was disturbing that “when it comes to insecurity, President Tinubu is a commentator; when it comes to the opposition, he is a combatant.”
The ADC maintained that the President should reserve decisive words and actions for defeating terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers shedding innocent blood, rather than fighting “the opposition who want to save Nigerians from his misrule and failure.”
The party urged President Tinubu to lead the fight against those forcing countess citizens from their homes, stating, “That is the battle the country expects him to win,”.
The statement concluded, “After more than three years in office, this administration cannot point to a security record that justifies political bravado. Given its catastrophic failure to secure lives and property, one would have expected the President to be reflecting on his record, not digging in politically.”
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