ADC slams Tinubu for launching re-election bid during national emergency

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Photo: State House

Kindly share this story:

The African Democratic Congress has criticised President Bola Tinubu for allegedly initiating his 2027 re-election campaign while the nation remains under a state of emergency.

The party described the move as cynically insensitive and undermining the essence of the emergency declaration.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC condemned the President for distributing branded vehicles to campaign operatives across the country while citizens continued to face abduction and security agencies struggled to contain escalating violence and banditry.

On Monday, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, leading Renewed Hope Ambassadors, handed out new sets of Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Hilux, and Hummer buses to each state coordinator of the political mobilisation network driving President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election effort.

Recall that on November 25, Tinubu appointed Uzodimma to head the mobilisation structure.

Reacting, the ADC said Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Ambassadors” launch showed he was acting more like a candidate than a president amid worsening national security crises.

The party stated: “The African Democratic Congress is deeply appalled by reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has distributed fleets of Hilux trucks, Land Cruisers, and Hummer buses to political agents across the country, thereby effectively kick-starting his 2027 re-election bid.

“Coming at a time when Nigeria remains under a declared state of emergency due to the worsening crisis of insecurity, this action confirms that the President’s declaration of a security emergency was a mere gimmick to grab newspaper headlines and means nothing to a President whose priority remains his re-election.

“While ordinary citizens are being kidnapped, displaced, and killed, the President is handing out branded vehicles and building a partisan mobilisation structure.

“Entire communities are living under siege, our armed forces are stretched thin, yet the ruling party is preparing for rallies.

“At a time when children are being kidnapped, and countless communities are under attack, the President is focused on re-election, seeking to continue presiding over a nation that has become more diminished, more fractured, and more dangerous than he met it.

“A nation under emergency rule is expected to adopt extraordinary conduct and behaviours that reflect the desperate nature of its condition.

“More importantly, the leadership of that country must demonstrate that nothing else matters in a time of emergency than tackling the situation that necessitated it.”

The ADC alleged that the President’s emergency declaration had brought no real change, with lavish campaigns continuing while children remained in captivity and the nation lived in fear.

It continued: “President Tinubu is the first elected Nigerian President to declare a nationwide emergency on security. It should now be on record that he is the first President to launch his re-election campaign while the country is under emergency rule.

“This is not merely a misplaced priority. It is an indication that the only thing that truly matters to this government and this President is politics.

“We must also remind the President that, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the window for campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections has not yet opened.

“These actions are in clear violation of electoral regulations, and we expect INEC to act decisively to protect the integrity of the process.

“President Tinubu must make a choice. He cannot govern under emergency powers while operating as a candidate on the campaign trail. One path leads to public service; the other to political opportunism.

“Leadership in times of crisis demands focus, sacrifice, and moral clarity. Lavish convoys and early campaigns are not the answers to national trauma.

“The President must return to the business of governance or step aside and admit that his political ambition now stands in the way of Nigeria’s recovery.”

Abdulrahman has nearly ten years of experience reporting on political parties, elections, religion, civil society organizations, the Nigeria Governors Forum, and more

Kindly share this story:

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25Million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, 👉 click here to find out how it work (Be sure to ask for evidence of clients that have benefitted from this)

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.