The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have dismissed President Bola Tinubu’s claims on fighting insecurity as well as his declaration that the country’s economy has improved.
The ADC accused President Bola Tinubu of focusing more on fighting opposition political parties than addressing the insecurity in the country.
The APM, on its part, said Tinubu’s claims that the economic and security situation in the country have improved are illusory.
The opposition parties, in separate statements yesterday, reacted to comments made by Tinubu when he met with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
The National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement, criticised Tinubu for stating at the meeting that he was prepared to “fight to the finish” politically, urging him to channel the same determination toward tackling terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
He said Nigerians expected the President to confront the country’s worsening security challenges rather than engage in political battles with the opposition.
The ADC spokesman said the timing of Tinubu’s remarks was unfortunate as it came just hours after gunmen reportedly killed at least 30 people in Naridon village, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Abdullahi, in a statement said, “Nigerians did not elect a Commander-in-Chief to become the nation’s chief issuer of condolence statements,” the party said.
“Mr President, the fight Nigerians elected you to lead is not against the opposition. It is against the terrorists, kidnappers and armed criminals who continue to kill innocent citizens and destabilise communities across the country.”
The ADC said the attack on Naridon village, which reportedly left homes destroyed and families displaced, underscored the need for stronger action against insecurity.
It maintained that the President should prioritise reclaiming communities affected by criminal violence instead of preparinrg for political contests.
“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. Those are the enemies he was elected to fight, and as things stand today, they remain undefeated,” the party said.
The party added that elections are won through performance rather than political rhetoric, urging the President to focus on restoring security and protecting the lives of Nigerians.
On its part, the APM National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, in a statement, stressed that such claims stand in sharp contradiction with the harsh reality on the ground.
The APM spokesman held that making such false claims to spiritual leaders of the status of Catholic Bishops, at a time when millions of Nigerian families are sinking deeper into abject poverty and terrorists are having a field day killing, maiming, and kidnapping citizens across the country, is the height of contempt for the sensibilities of both the respected bishops and Nigerians in general.
Yusuf, in a statement, said “It is unfortunate that instead of being candid about his failures and seeking help, President Tinubu is engaging in forum shopping to downplay and play cheap politics with the nation’s dire security and economic situation.”
He added that contrary to claims by President Tinubu that the economy has recovered and that his administration has steered the nation from “bankruptcy and the dark tunnel of uncertainty,” independent data from credible institutions show that the poverty rate has risen above 63% in 2026.
“This indicates that over 140 million Nigerians have been plunged into poverty under the Tinubu administration.”
The APM added that Tinubu could not make such claims when, in reality, his administration has mortgaged the future of “our nation through reckless external borrowing, which has risen to a scary $51.86 billion under his misrule and is projected to hit $72.6 billion by 2027”
He continued, “How can President Tinubu think that any Nigerian, let alone clergymen who are in constant touch with the suffering masses, will believe his claims that the economy is improving, especially after he triggered an increase in fuel price to over ₦1,500 per liter; a development that set off an adverse chain reaction that pushed transport fare, food prices, school fees, medical bills, house rents, electricity tariffs, and the prices of everyday goods and services far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens?”
