Tinubu's smash, grab, run with power is language of banditry

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says it is focused on removing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from power in 2027.

Speaking on Friday on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, spokesperson of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, said there is no way Nigeria can be reclaimed while Tinubu remains in office.

Abdullahi referenced the President’s rhetoric of “smash and grab power and run with it” ahead of the 2023 election as the language of banditry.

“Of course, we want to get Tinubu out of power… because it is only by getting him out of power that we can take our country back,” Abdullahi said.

“There is no scenario where he remains in power and we are able to get the country back. It is more or less hijacked.”

“You see some of the behaviour of the people in government, and when people say, ‘you can smash and grab power and run with it,’ that’s the language of banditry,” the ADC spokesperson said.

He alleged that the government indulged in forgery of laws passed by the national assembly, describing such acts unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.

“A government that can forge a duly passed law—what do you call that? You see, some things have happened in recent times that are unprecedented in the history of Nigeria,” he said.

“This is the first time the national assembly will make a law, and then some people in government will sit and forge it.”

Abdullahi also faulted the reported payment of $9 million to lobbyists to portray Nigeria positively to the US government, arguing that the money would be better spent on internal security.

“This is the first time we hear that the Nigerian government will pay $9 million for lobbyists to make them look good before US President Donald Trump,” he said.

“If you invest $9 million in your internal security matters, you’d see results, and you don’t have to convince the president of another country that your country is safe.”