The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his declaration that he was prepared to “fight to the finish” politically.
The party urged him to channel such determination towards tackling insecurity rather than confronting the opposition.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, despite the worsening security situation across the country.
The party cited the recent attack on Naridon village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where at least 30 people were reportedly killed, homes destroyed and residents displaced.
According to the ADC, Nigerians elected Tinubu to confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes, not to engage in political battles with opposition parties.
The party accused the President of reacting to security crises with statements and condemnations rather than decisive action, describing him as Nigeria’s “Statement Maker-in-Chief.”
“Mr President should reserve decisive words and actions like ‘fight to the finish’ to defeat the terrorists, bandits and kidnappers who continue to shed innocent Nigerian blood, not the opposition,” the statement said.
The party argued that while the President appears combative towards political opponents, he has been less effective in addressing insecurity, which it said continues to claim lives and destabilise communities nationwide.
It maintained that the administration’s primary responsibility is the protection of lives and property, stressing that communities across the country have increasingly become targets of attacks by armed groups.
The ADC further contended that after more than three years in office, the government had not demonstrated a security record strong enough to justify what it described as “political bravado.”
The party said elections are
won through performance rather than displays of political toughness, insisting that the President’s real adversaries are terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.
“The President’s real opponents are not the opposition. They are terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and the growing insecurity that continues to claim innocent Nigerian lives,” the statement added.
The ADC urged Tinubu to prioritise efforts to restore security and protect citizens, saying that defeating violent criminals remains the most important battle facing the country.
(The Whistler)