SAT AUG 22 2026-theGBJournal| The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the composition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign council, describing it as a political “rehabilitation centre” for individuals who have faced allegations of corruption or unresolved questions over public accountability.
The opposition party said the inclusion of such figures raised fresh questions about the status of investigations and prosecutions involving them, arguing that Nigerians deserved to know whether the individuals had been cleared and, if so, by whom and on what basis.
The ADC specifically cited former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, who was suspended by President Tinubu in January 2024 amid controversy over an attempted N585 million transfer to a private account.
It also pointed to former Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Dr Ngozi Olejeme, who has faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged financial misconduct.
The party said the presence of such figures on the campaign council was difficult to reconcile with the government’s repeated pledges to fight corruption and strengthen public accountability.
“What happened to the cases involving these individuals?” the ADC asked. “If they have been cleared, the government should show how and when and by whom they were cleared.”
The opposition party alleged that the administration had developed a pattern in which investigations into alleged financial crimes gradually disappear from public view, only for those previously accused to resurface in politically significant positions.
“Under this government, corruption allegations increasingly appear to have an expiry date,” the ADC said. “Once a person becomes politically useful enough, yesterday’s questions apparently no longer require today’s answers.”
2027 Election Will Be Referendum on Tinubu’s Record
The ADC said the 2027 presidential election would ultimately be a referendum on Tinubu’s performance in office rather than a contest that could be decided solely through the size or composition of his campaign machinery.
It argued that the President’s political allies could not “sweep away” Nigerians’ economic hardships, including the high cost of living and widespread poverty.
“The President may assemble his old friends and political allies, including those carrying unresolved corruption questions, but all of their collective brooms cannot sweep away the grave pains they have brought on the Nigerian people,” the party said.
The ADC accused the government of asking Nigerians to endure economic hardship while those with political connections continued to enjoy access to public resources.
“For three years, they have told Nigerians who can barely afford food to tighten their belts, while those connected to the government continue to live in obscene opulence, feeding fat on the commonwealth,” it said.
The party described the 2027 election as a potential “reckoning” over the administration’s economic record.
ADC Defends Atiku’s Fuel Subsidy Proposal
The ADC also renewed its support for a targeted fuel subsidy, originally proposed by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as a way of reducing petrol prices and easing pressure on households and businesses.
The party rejected government-sponsored criticism of the proposal, arguing that a subsidy programme could be structured to prevent abuse through clear spending limits, independent audits and transparent accounting.
“Our proposal is straightforward: every naira must be traceable and every barrel accounted for,” the ADC said.
The party argued that the issue was not whether Nigeria could afford to intervene to protect struggling households, but whether government resources were being deployed efficiently.
It accused the APC administration of tolerating waste while resisting measures aimed at cushioning the impact of its economic reforms on ordinary Nigerians.
“Before President Tinubu lectures Nigerians about the cost of helping them, he should account for the cost of his own government’s wrong-headed policy that has turned state governors into wastrels and federal agents into profligates,” the party said.
The statement was signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
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