The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of being irresponsible for attending political and social events, in the face of the insecurity in the country.
In a statement signed by Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, the party criticised Tinubu for attending such functions while several parts of the country are under siege by armed groups.
The party cited reports of recent attacks in Kwara and Kogi states, where gunmen killed travellers and abducted several others, including women and children.
The ADC added that despite months-long attacks in Plateau state earlier in the year that claimed hundreds of lives, the president “never thought it necessary to visit the state”, opting instead to issue directives “that no one obeyed”.
“The President’s continued preference for attending social and political events in the midst of alarming deterioration of internal security is both unacceptable and irresponsible,” the ADC said.
“From Plateau to Zamfara, Benue to Niger, Kaduna to Kwara, incidents of mass abductions, violent attacks, and forced displacement continue to rise. Yet, the presidency has neither acknowledged the situation nor outlined any plan of action to support affected communities or hold those responsible to account.”
The ADC accused the government of downplaying the gravity of the situation through “vague assurances” of progress.
The party further said Tinubu’s public appearances at funerals and social events “send the unfortunate message that the president cares more about political appearances than the lives of Nigerian citizens”.
“The President’s claim of progress in the fight against insecurity is a tragic denial of the reality faced by Nigerians,” ADC added.
“This denial emanates either from cruel indifference or tragic oversimplification of a very complex problem.”
The opposition party also dismissed Tinubu’s efforts to promote national unity as “hollow and insincere”, arguing that symbolic gestures such as attending church events or wearing regional attire cannot substitute for genuine leadership.
“For avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu’s actions or inactions since he came to power have divided Nigerians more than ever before,” the party said.
To tackle the security crisis, the ADC proposed several measures, including an official acknowledgement of the scale of insecurity, honest engagement with affected communities, and enhanced coordination between security agencies and local networks.
The party also urged the federal government to commit to regular public reporting on security incidents and establish a transparent mechanism to track and audit security spending.
“Nigeria is under attack. This administration must stop pretending otherwise. The time for symbolic gestures is over. What the country needs now is responsible leadership, operational urgency, and measurable results,” ADC said.
