The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing the Nigerian President of trivialising governance and raising questions about his commitment to democratic principles.

The criticism followed the President’s remark during an Iftar (breaking of fast) meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), where he dismissed opposition concerns over the Electoral Act 2026 Amendment, telling critics to meet him at the polls and adding that “the game is sweet only when you are winning.”

Reacting in a statement issued on Thursday, the ADC described the President’s comment as cynical and inappropriate, arguing that it reduces the serious responsibility of governance to a mere political contest.

The statement, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the remark was particularly troubling given the country’s current challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and rising poverty.

According to the party, democracy should not be treated as a competition for those in power but as a system founded on accountability, respect for institutions and responsibility to the people.

“The President’s remark raises serious questions about his democratic credentials and his understanding of the responsibilities that come with leadership in a constitutional democracy,” the statement read.

ADC further accused the President of demonstrating tendencies that undermine democratic values, alleging that the recently amended Electoral Act was designed to weaken opposition parties and tilt the political playing field in favour of the ruling government.

The party argued that while the administration may claim political victories, it has failed in what it described as the more important responsibility of improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

It questioned whether Nigerians could truly be considered winners amid persistent security challenges, high unemployment among graduates and the increasing difficulty many families face in affording food and other basic necessities.

“If politics is a game to the President, the Nigerian people are the ones paying the price,” the party said, adding that Nigeria requires leadership that recognises the weight of the office and governs with competence and respect for the rule of law.

The ADC concluded that governance must not be trivialised, especially at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with economic and security challenges, stressing that the presidency is not a prize but a responsibility that must be carried with seriousness.

The Senate will  today,  Tuesday resume deliberation on the controversial Electoral Act amendment bill, amid mounting public outrage and pressure over delays that critics say could jeopardise the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

Our correspondent  gathered that the upper chamber plans to conclude work on the bill and transmit it this week, following the inauguration of a seven-member ad hoc committee mandated to harmonise senators’ positions and resolve outstanding issues in the proposed legislation.

The committee was constituted last Thursday after a three-hour closed-door executive session during which lawmakers subjected the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill to further scrutiny.

The committee, which had three days to conclude the assignment, is expected to submit a report today (Tuesday).

Announcing the decision, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the panel was established to synthesise lawmakers’ views and address concerns raised during plenary debates.

The committee is chaired by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Niyi Adegbonmire, with Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam as members.

Akpabio said the committee was given a maximum of three days to complete its assignment and submit its report by Tuesday to allow the Senate resume consideration of the bill.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections would be far easier than the opposition’s historic victory over former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
  
The party asserted during the inauguration of its new leadership team in Delta State, where former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Great Ogboru, was unveiled as a member.

Representing the National Chairman of the party, David Mark, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, said the newly inaugurated team has been mandated to embark on aggressive nationwide mobilisation, membership registration and validation. The team is also tasked with establishing ADC offices across states, local government areas, wards, and polling units.
  
According to him, the party will intensify sensitisation campaigns aimed at familiarising Nigerians with its political ideology and positioning the ADC as a credible electoral alternative.

Speaking at the event, Ogboru said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) underestimated the resolve of Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the current administration.
  
“They did not know that an obscure party like the ADC would come up to say ‘no’,” Ogboru declared. “Nigerians and the ADC believe that we must have a democracy. And for that democracy to thrive, there must be an alternative—and the people must decide.”

The National Vice Chairman of the ADC, South-South, Usani Usani, dismissed fears that Tinubu could secure an easy path to re-election.  He said: “We have come here to assure you that it is easier to defeat this government than it was to remove Goodluck Jonathan,” he said.
  
Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, issued a scathing critique of the political landscape, insisting that the ADC remains the only viable opposition force ahead of 2027.

“Anybody aware of what is happening in this country today knows that the mission of ADC is to rescue Nigeria,” Abdullahi said. “All the other parties are dead. Look at what they have done to the PDP; look at what is happening in the Labour Party. The government wants a situation where, by 2027, only the APC is standing.”  He insisted that the ADC now is the “last man standing in the opposition,” describing the party as the final hope of the “common people.”