Tinubu’s re-election messages are divisive, recycled failed promises – ADC

THE African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign, describing its messages as divisive, vague, uninspiring and devoid of any credible account of his administration’s performance.

The Council said rather than present a comprehensive scorecard of his three-and-a-half years in office, Tinubu had resorted to political tantrums, name-calling and verbal attacks against opponents.

In a statement by the director of media and publicity of the campaign, Kola Okogbodiyan, the council said it has noted that Nigerians were expecting clear explanations on the administration’s massive borrowings, the gains of fuel subsidy removal, worsening insecurity, widespread hunger and the escalating cost of living.

“Instead, the President’s campaign outings in Kaduna, Rivers and Jigawa states were dominated by personal attacks and recycled promises, offering nothing new to Nigerians”.

The ADC-PCC particularly challenged Tinubu to account for his much-publicised electricity pledge: “If I don’t give you electricity, don’t vote for me for a second term.”

According to the Council, the President has failed to fulfil that promise, even as millions of Nigerians continue to endure unreliable electricity supply, while he has reportedly invested in alternative power arrangements for his personal comfort.

It described Tinubu’s renewed promises on electricity during his Jigawa campaign as an attempt to repackage old, unfulfilled commitments as fresh electoral promises.

The Council also questioned the administration’s much-touted mechanised farming agenda, asking what had become of the 2,000 tractors reportedly imported from Brazil several months ago, which it alleged were yet to make any meaningful impact on agricultural productivity.

It further accused Tinubu of taking credit for projects initiated by the late President Muhammadu Buhari, arguing that the President had little of his own to showcase after nearly three and a half years in office.

The ADC-PCC described Tinubu as a leader whose public pronouncements frequently contradict his actions, noting that while he speaks about democracy, his administration has demonstrated tendencies that undermine democratic institutions.

It alleged that the President had exerted undue influence over the National Assembly and was now seeking to compromise the independence of the Judiciary.

The Council identified Tinubu’s infamous declaration that “all is fair in politics” as particularly troubling, arguing that the statement appeared to provide justification for political illegality, intimidation, violence, thuggery and other undemocratic practices.

It said the opposition was increasingly confronted with what it described as unconstitutional conduct, judicial rascality, political intimidation and a compromised electoral environment under the APC administration.

The ADC-PCC also accused the President of deliberately deploying divisive rhetoric whenever confronted with questions about his administration’s performance, instead of providing verifiable answers to Nigerians.

It cited Tinubu’s recent campaign outing in Rivers State as a glaring example of what it described as political contradiction.

The Council questioned the President’s decision to praise and promise to reward a political figure whom it accused of being illegally removed from office, denied political participation for six months and prevented from seeking re-election.

“Reward him for what?” the Council queried, describing the President’s actions in Rivers State as an affront to constitutional governance and the democratic rights of the people.

The ADC-PCC maintained that Nigerians deserve leadership anchored on accountability, competence, transparency and respect for democratic institutions, not recycled promises, political theatrics and divisive propaganda.

It therefore called on Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the 2027 general election to end APC’s rule and vote the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, into power, insisting that the country urgently needs a new direction.