Opposition Party Leaders Seek Improved Welfare For Soldiers, Decry Tinubu’s Absence At Armed Forces Day

As Nigeria marks the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have demanded a better deal for soldiers and decried the absence of President Bola Tinubu from the ceremonial events to mark the day.

The two opposition parties, in separate statements, however commended the sacrifices of the nation’s armed forces in the fight against insecurity.

Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an annual event designed to honour the courage and sacrifice of fallen and serving members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

However, the PDP national chairman Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, in a statement, urged the federal government to improve welfare packages for security personnel.

Turaki also emphasised the need for adequate funding for security agencies to tackle insecurity and restore peace in Nigeria.

“We demand improved welfare for members of the Armed Forces and security agencies to help them discharge their roles effectively,” he said.

Turaki warned against actions that could destabilise the country, praying that the sacrifices of fallen soldiers “may not be in vain.”

On its part, the national publicity secretary of ADC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised President Tinubu’s absence from the event to commemorate the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Abdullahi, in a statement, described the President’s unavailability on such a solemn day as troubling, arguing that the physical and moral presence of the Commander-in-Chief is a vital symbol of solidarity with troops and military families at a time of worsening insecurity.

The ADC spokesman however stressed that remembrance must go beyond ceremonies and rhetoric just as he called on the leadership to take responsibility, show up, and match the sacrifices of Nigeria’s armed forces with clear strategy and genuine political will.

“This is ordinarily a solemn national moment, one that demands presence, reflection, and leadership at the highest level. It is therefore deeply troubling that the President of the Federal Republic is absent and unavailable on a day meant to symbolise solidarity with our armed forces and the families who continue to bear the cost of Nigeria’s security failures.

“At a time when Nigerian soldiers are overstretched across multiple fronts, battling insurgency, banditry, and violent crime, leadership cannot be outsourced, postponed, or treated as ceremonial. The physical and moral presence of the Commander-in-Chief on this day is not optional, it is a statement of respect, responsibility, and shared sacrifice.

“The ADC honours the fallen, stands with serving personnel, and recognises the quiet resilience of military families who continue to pay the ultimate price for a nation that has yet to match their sacrifice with competent governance, clear strategy, and genuine political will.

“Remembrance must go beyond wreaths and words. It must be reflected in leadership that shows up, takes responsibility, and places the lives of Nigerians above image management, foreign trips, or political convenience,” the party spokesman said.