The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described President Bola Tinubu’s emerging 2027 campaign council as a “rehabilitation centre” for individuals facing unresolved corruption allegations.
The opposition party also declared that the 2027 presidential election would serve as a referendum on the performance of the Tinubu administration over the past three years.
In a statement on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the inclusion of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Betta Edu, and former Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme, among other political figures reportedly associated with the campaign structure.
The party challenged the Federal Government to disclose the status of corruption cases involving the two former officials and explain whether they had been cleared of the allegations against them.
According to the ADC, Edu was suspended by President Tinubu following controversy over an alleged attempted transfer of N585 million into a private account, while Olejeme had faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial malpractices.
The party said the emergence of individuals facing unresolved corruption questions in the President’s campaign structure raised concerns about accountability under the current administration.
“One important question that the inclusion of these individuals provokes is what happened to the cases involving these individuals,” the statement said.
“If they have been cleared, the government should show how and when and by whom they were cleared.”
The ADC alleged that investigations into financial crimes under the Tinubu administration had increasingly been allowed to “quietly disappear,” only for some of the accused to later resurface in political or official positions.
It said the development had created the impression that corruption allegations could be overlooked when individuals became politically useful to the government.
The opposition party maintained that the 2027 election would primarily be a referendum on President Tinubu’s record rather than merely a contest between political parties or candidates.
“The President may assemble his old friends and political allies, including those carrying unresolved corruption questions, but all of their collective brooms cannot sweep away the grave pains they have brought on the Nigerian people,” the party said.
The ADC accused the administration of worsening the cost-of-living crisis and poverty through what it described as “bad policies,” while allegedly allowing politically connected individuals to enjoy excessive privileges.
“For three years, they have told Nigerians who can barely afford food to tighten their belts, while those connected to the government continue to live in obscene opulence, feeding fat on the common wealth,” it said.
The party argued that the electorate would ultimately judge the administration based on its economic performance and the impact of its policies on ordinary Nigerians.
The ADC also reiterated its proposal for a targeted subsidy on fuel production as a means of reducing the pump price of petrol and lowering the general cost of living.
It said the proposed intervention would be “targeted, capped, budgeted and independently audited” to prevent abuse and ensure accountability.
The party said criticisms of the proposal on the grounds that Nigeria could not afford subsidies failed to acknowledge what it described as government waste and extravagant spending.
“What we understand the APC government to be saying is that Nigeria cannot afford to protect struggling families,” the party said.
The ADC insisted that any subsidy intervention it proposes would be subjected to strict accountability mechanisms.
“Every naira must be traceable and every barrel accounted for,” it said.
The party challenged President Tinubu to account for the cost and consequences of his administration’s economic policies before telling Nigerians that the country could not afford measures aimed at easing their hardship.
