Presidency accuses ADC of disarray after convention row with Tinubu camp
The Presidency on Saturday said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is struggling to maintain “coherence and balance” following its recently concluded national convention, describing the party’s internal situation as disorganised and reactive.
The reaction came from Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, after an ADC forum of serving and former legislators criticised President Bola Tinubu over his reported description of the party’s convention as “noise and a street convention”.
The ADC held its national convention at the Rainbow Event Centre in Abuja despite what it described as a last minute attempt to obstruct the gathering.
In a response, the ADC Forum of National Legislators, led by former House of Representatives member Nnenna Ukeje, accused the administration of shrinking political space and undermining democratic principles. The group also referenced Tinubu’s past role as an opposition figure, arguing that his current posture appeared inconsistent with earlier advocacy for pluralism and judicial independence.
But in a statement posted on X on Saturday, Dare dismissed the criticism, saying the ADC was displaying internal disarray.
Titled “WHAT’S THAT NOISE! Response to Hon. Nnenna Elendu Ukeje and the ADC Forum of National Legislators — Nigeria’s latest bunch of conspiracy theorists”, the statement accused the opposition party of manufacturing outrage and attempting to distract from its internal challenges.
Dare said the ADC had resorted to what he called “the weaponisation of rhetoric” and “calculated attempts to manufacture outrage”, adding that the party was “struggling to maintain coherence and balance”.
He argued that even the ADC’s own remarks during its press conference had acknowledged President Tinubu’s democratic credentials, including his role in strengthening opposition politics and defending pluralism during Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
According to him, this recognition was inconsistent with subsequent allegations that the President was undermining democratic values.
“You cannot spend the first half of a press conference affirming a man’s lifelong commitment to democracy, and the second half alleging—without proof—that he has abandoned it,” he said.
Dare also dismissed concerns over alleged threats to political space, insisting that President Tinubu’s remarks had not specifically referenced the ADC, but were general observations about political conduct.
He suggested that the party’s reaction was an overinterpretation of the comments, saying that if the description of “noise” resonated, “the issue may lie in the conduct being displayed rather than the statement itself”.
On allegations of judicial interference raised by the ADC forum, Dare said such claims were “speculative and irresponsible”, insisting that Nigeria’s judiciary remains constitutionally independent.
“Attempting to cast doubt on the integrity of the courts based on political disagreements is a dangerous path,” he said, warning that such narratives risk weakening democratic institutions.
The exchange underscores growing political tension between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties as early positioning intensifies ahead of future elections.