ADC Group : Tinubu’s Remarks Show Presidency’s Role In Party Crisis

A support group of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), says comments by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu indicate that the presidency may be playing a role in the internal crisis affecting opposition parties.

The group’s position was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by its secretary, Idris Bala Musa, in response to remarks made by the president on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

During the meeting with coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Tinubu had alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar “wanted to privatize the ADC, but the owners said no,” while also urging Nigerians to respect court orders and the rule of law.

Reacting, Musa said the president’s comments were “deeply troubling” and suggested that the presidency was not merely observing developments within opposition parties but actively involved.

“The ADC is not a personal enterprise that can be privatized or auctioned,” Musa said. “It is a duly registered political party owned by Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”

He added that the party’s leadership structures were constituted in line with its constitution, the Electoral Act, guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the 1999 Constitution as amended.

According to him, the president’s claim was misleading and inconsistent with the expectations of his office.

On the issue of adherence to the rule of law, Musa said the group agrees with the president but maintained that this principle informed its rejection of what he described as “contrived crises and politically sponsored impostors” within opposition parties.

He also warned that the president’s remarks could create the impression of undue influence on matters currently before the courts.

“It is important that statements from the highest office do not appear prejudicial to ongoing judicial processes,” he said.

Musa further pointed to political developments ahead of the 2023 general elections, noting that Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso contested the presidency on the platforms of the Labour Party and the NNPP without reported state interference.

He contrasted this with post-election disputes in opposition parties, including the emergence of Lamidi Apapa in the Labour Party.

Musa said the pattern raises concerns about attempts to weaken opposition parties and warned against what he described as a drift toward a one-party system.

He called on the president to uphold democratic principles in both words and actions, adding that the presidency should not interfere in the internal affairs of political parties.

The GMN secretary said the ADC remains united under its recognised leadership and committed to providing Nigerians with a credible political alternative.