The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of exploiting the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari for political gain, describing the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) tribute as a “deliberate publicity stunt.”
In a statement released on Friday, ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, condemned the tribute delivered by President Tinubu at a special FEC session held in Buhari’s honour on Thursday. The event, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was attended by members of the late president’s family, National Assembly leaders, and other top officials.
Tinubu had hailed Buhari as “a good, decent, and honourable man,” praising his values of discipline, patriotism, and integrity. He also acknowledged Buhari’s imperfections but credited him for a lifetime of committed national service.
However, the ADC criticized the gesture as insincere, noting that Tinubu’s administration had spent the past year blaming Buhari for Nigeria’s economic challenges, including his handling of fuel subsidies and public sector reforms.
“The African Democratic Congress condemns the Tinubu administration’s sudden and cynical attempt to wrap itself in the memory of the late President Muhammadu Buhari—a man this same government spent over a year blaming, sidelining, and scapegoating for every major challenge confronting the nation,” the party said.
It further alleged that the publicised presence of Buhari’s grieving son during the ceremony was part of a “choreographed” attempt to boost the administration’s dwindling popularity, particularly in the North.
“This is hypocritical and in bad taste,” the party added. “You cannot spend months discrediting a man’s legacy only to turn around and perform grief for the cameras.”
The ADC called on the Tinubu administration to focus on solving Nigeria’s pressing challenges rather than engaging in “image-laundering theatrics.”
