The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) for what it described as “unlawful and insensitive” early campaign activities in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid, warning that such actions violate electoral laws and ignore the harsh realities Nigerians are currently facing.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party condemned the proliferation of campaign billboards and public rallies endorsing Tinubu’s re-election across various states, including Abuja and Kano—more than two years ahead of the 2027 general election.
“These choreographed endorsements mock the suffering of Nigerians,” Abdullahi said. “They are a clear breach of the Electoral Act and ignore INEC’s standing rules, which prohibit campaigning until 150 days to an election.”
He accused the ruling party of being more focused on power retention than addressing the economic and security crises confronting the nation. “While the APC chants ‘four more years’ and parades a sinking mandate, inflation is crushing households, the naira is in free fall, petrol prices have tripled, and kidnapping has become a booming enterprise,” he said.
The ADC highlighted key economic indicators as evidence of misgovernance under Tinubu’s administration. It noted that inflation, which stood at 22 percent in 2023, surged to nearly 35 percent by December and has remained above 22 percent in 2025. Prices of food, transport, and housing, the party said, have climbed by over 60 percent since Tinubu assumed office.
The statement also decried the removal of fuel subsidy, which has pushed petrol prices beyond ₦1,000 per litre nationwide, worsening the cost-of-living crisis for ordinary Nigerians.
On the fiscal front, the ADC cited World Bank reports showing that Nigeria’s debt servicing now exceeds total federal revenue, leaving little room for meaningful investments in healthcare, education, or infrastructure. “With revenue mobilisation crawling at 11 percent of GDP—far below the African average—the federal government continues to pile on debt without a sustainable plan for growth,” Abdullahi noted.
The party warned that while the APC engages in premature self-praise and political propaganda, millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive amid deepening poverty and insecurity.
“Rather than confront these existential challenges, the ruling party is preoccupied with a re-election campaign that is both illegal and immoral,” the ADC concluded.
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