Tinubu’s aide bombs ADC

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, on Wednesday urged the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition to channel its energy into resolving internal challenges and strengthening its structures instead of launching what he described as speculative attacks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Dare said the opposition bloc should concentrate on consolidating its ranks, settling internal disputes and presenting Nigerians with credible policy alternatives rather than engaging in what he termed “manufactured outrage, conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated allegations” aimed at discrediting the administration.

Responding to recent claims by the ADC National Legislators Coalition, the presidential aide described the group’s statements as heavy on theatrics but lacking in substance, restraint and constitutional fidelity.

He accused the coalition of deploying rhetoric to stir outrage and divert attention from what he called its internal disarray.

According to him, the ADC’s narrative was riddled with contradictions, noting that the same group had acknowledged Tinubu’s historic contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development — including strengthening opposition politics, defending pluralism and expanding democratic space — while simultaneously portraying him as a threat to those same democratic values.

Dare said such a position was “intellectually untenable,” arguing that a leader’s democratic credentials cannot be both affirmed and dismissed without credible evidence. He added that Tinubu’s political trajectory, from pro-democracy activism to governance, reflects consistency in upholding the rule of law and institutional independence.

He further clarified that the President’s recent remarks, which sparked reactions from the ADC, neither mentioned the party by name nor referred to it by implication. He described the opposition’s response as an act of “self-indictment,” suggesting that the interpretation of the comments reflected more about the ADC’s internal anxieties than the President’s intent.

“This is not a matter of suppression; it is a matter of standards,” Dare said, noting that while democracy thrives on competition, it also requires discipline, organisation, coherence and credibility — qualities he said the ADC must demonstrate.

On allegations of judicial interference, the presidential spokesman dismissed them as speculative and irresponsible, warning that attempts to erode public confidence in the judiciary without evidence could weaken Nigeria’s constitutional order. He maintained that the judiciary remains independent and that due process continues to guide its operations.

Dare also rejected efforts to drag the Chief of Staff to the President into the controversy, saying isolated remarks taken out of context cannot be turned into claims of executive interference.

He stressed that the President speaks through established channels and that internal disputes within opposition parties should not be projected onto the Presidency or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The presidential aide further accused the ADC coalition of grappling with internal fragmentation and lacking ideological coherence, describing it as a platform driven more by individual ambition than shared conviction.

According to him, the absence of a unifying doctrine has produced visible contradictions and tensions within the bloc. He cited recent public remarks by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as evidence of underlying divisions within the coalition, arguing that the statements reflect a lack of trust, alignment and cohesion among its leading figures.