By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his declaration that he was prepared to “fight to the finish” politically, urging him to concentrate on tackling terrorism and insecurity rather than engaging the political opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party said the President should prioritise defeating terrorists, bandits and kidnappers instead of focusing on political battles, arguing that the country’s worsening security situation demands urgent attention.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described as disturbing the President’s remarks during a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the opposition party, the President’s comments came at a time when the country was still reeling from a deadly attack on Naridon village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where at least 30 people were reportedly killed.
The ADC said the President’s constitutional responsibility was to protect the lives and property of Nigerians, insisting that his focus should remain on combating violent crime rather than preparing for political contests.
“The fight Nigerians elected the President to lead is against terrorists, kidnappers and armed criminals, not the opposition,” the party stated.
It accused the Tinubu administration of responding to insecurity with repeated statements of condemnation and sympathy instead of decisive action to halt the violence across the country.
The party alleged that while the President appeared combative in dealing with opposition parties, he had become merely a commentator on issues of insecurity.
According to the ADC, President Tinubu should direct the same determination he expressed about political contests towards defeating terrorists and criminal groups that continue to attack communities, displace residents and claim innocent lives.
The opposition party further argued that, after more than three years in office, the administration could not point to a security record that justified political confidence, maintaining that the President should be reflecting on his performance rather than intensifying political rhetoric ahead of the next elections.
The ADC maintained that elections are won through good governance and performance, not declarations of political toughness, adding that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and insecurity—not opposition parties—remain the President’s real adversaries.
The party urged the President to focus on restoring security across the country, saying Nigerians expect decisive action against criminal groups rather than political confrontations.
