The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allegedly kick-starting his 2027 re-election campaign at a time when Nigeria remains under a state of emergency. The party described the move as “cynically insensitive” and a brazen contradiction of the emergency declaration itself.
In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC condemned the distribution of branded vehicles to campaign agents nationwide under the banner of “Renewed Hope Ambassadors”, describing it as an act of political opportunism at a time when Nigerians are facing extreme insecurity, economic despair, and deepening uncertainty.
According to the ADC, embarking on full-scale campaign mobilisation — even as citizens remain in captivity, communities come under attack, and security agencies struggle to contain spiralling violence — demonstrates that President Tinubu “is behaving more like a political candidate desperate for re-election than a Commander-in-Chief leading a nation under siege.”
The party further described the President’s actions as a clear violation of the Electoral Act and a flagrant disregard of INEC’s election timetable, warning that such conduct undermines democratic integrity and makes a mockery of institutions responsible for regulating the electoral process.
The ADC stated:
“It is a tragic irony that while millions of Nigerians are crying out for safety, stability, and relief from a suffocating economic crisis, the President is busy sharing campaign vehicles and inaugurating political structures for an election that is almost two years away. This is not leadership. It is insensitivity elevated to statecraft.”
The party called on President Tinubu to immediately discontinue all activities related to the “Renewed Hope Ambassadors” campaign and redirect full presidential attention to restoring security, stabilising the economy, and addressing the humanitarian emergencies confronting Nigerians.
The statement concluded by urging INEC, civil society organisations, and the international community to take note of what it described as “early warning signs of a ruling party preparing to compromise the integrity of the 2027 elections through premature and illegal campaign activities.”
