The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has fired back at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s claim that he cannot be intimidated by opposition figures, arguing that his remarks betray anxiety rather than strength—and that mounting national crises should leave him deeply worried ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a sharply worded statement, the opposition party described the President’s comments as the words of a leader losing touch with reality, not the confidence of one in control.
“What Nigerians saw was not 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,” the ADC said.
The party accused Tinubu of prioritising political posturing over urgent governance challenges, noting that families across the country are struggling with a historic cost-of-living crisis.
“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,” the statement read.
The ADC also pointed to recent security failures, including the abduction of children from examination centres, as evidence of a distracted administration.
“Even as he spoke, reports of children being abducted from examination centres were circulating. This is the reality of today’s Nigeria—insecurity spreading deeper into everyday life while government appears distracted,” the party said.
According to the ADC, these are the very reasons Tinubu should fear for his political future. “These are the reasons he should be scared, because the people are determined to vote him out,” the party added.
Rejecting reports of irregularities at its recent national convention, the ADC insisted the event was properly conducted and accused the presidency of relying on false intelligence.
“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,” the party said.
The ADC further alleged that the Tinubu administration has tightened the democratic space, denying opposition parties access to public venues such as Eagle Square—a facility it described as belonging to all Nigerians.
“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,” the statement read.
The party also criticised the President for what it called executive overreach, accusing him of blurring the lines between branches of government.
“The President also cannot preach separation of powers while simultaneously assuming the role of interpreter of the law, political referee, and commentator on judicial matters,” the ADC said, adding: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot be a President and a judge at the same time.”
Concluding, the ADC maintained that Nigeria’s core challenges remain unaddressed—hardship, insecurity, debt, and fading hope—while reaffirming its commitment to offering Nigerians a credible alternative in the next general election.