2027: ADC decries early Tinubu endorsements amidst difficulties

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has flayed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for what it noted as an “unlawful and insensitive” early campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election, saying the ruling party has flouted electoral laws as Nigerians grapple with worsening economic and security crises.

It decried the wave of public rallies and campaign billboards sprouting up in various states across the country, pledging support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, two years before the next general election.

In a statement made available on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said these “choreographed endorsements” from Abuja to Kano not only mock Nigerians’ suffering but also contravene the provisions of the Electoral Act and recent warnings from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which prohibits campaign activity until 150 days before an election.

“While the ruling party chants ‘four more years’ and sings songs of a sinking mandate, inflation has galloped beyond the reach of ordinary citizens,” Abdullahi said. “The naira has collapsed, petrol prices have multiplied, kidnapping has morphed into an industry—this is a government distracted from its duty to govern.”

According to the ADC, inflation—already at 22 per cent in 2023—peaked at nearly 35 per cent last December and remains above 22 per cent today. The statement stated that food, transport, and rent costs have gone uptick by over 60 per cent since Tinubu assumed office. Similarly, the naira, which exchanged at around ₦461/$ in early 2023, has now plummeted to over ₦1,500/$, eroding savings and strangling small businesses.

The opposition party also condemned skyrocketing petrol prices, now averaging more than ₦1,000 per litre since the removal of fuel subsidy, as well as the rising debt burden, which it said is “devouring the treasury.”

Citing World Bank projections, the ADC said noted debt servicing has outpaced total federal revenue, leaving little room for investments in healthcare, education, or infrastructure. “Revenue mobilisation is crawling at just 11 per cent of GDP, well below African averages, yet the government continues to borrow repeatedly,” the statement said.