ADC Fires Back at Alake, Says Tinubu’s Panic Cannot Hide APC’s ‘Catastrophic Record’

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has hit back at Dele Alake over his allegations against former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the opposition party, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using political attacks to distract Nigerians from the country’s economic challenges.

In a strongly worded response, the ADC described Alake’s statement, which it said was issued early in the day, as a desperate attempt to divert attention from the Tinubu administration’s record.

The opposition party challenged Alake to provide evidence linking Atiku or the ADC to the alleged letter, artificial intelligence manipulation and deepfake videos referenced in his statement.

It argued that accusations without verifiable evidence should not be presented as established facts, urging the APC to release relevant names, dates and forensic findings to substantiate its claims.

According to the ADC, the ruling party should focus on answering questions about its performance rather than trading accusations with political opponents.

The opposition also criticised the administration over rising living costs, citing petrol prices of about ₦1,400 per litre, diesel prices exceeding ₦2,000 per litre and food inflation that it put at nearly 20 per cent.

It further referenced World Bank poverty estimates reported by Reuters to argue that millions of Nigerians continue to face severe economic difficulties.

The ADC maintained that these concerns were genuine economic issues that could not be dismissed as fake news or political propaganda.

The statement also questioned the circumstances surrounding reports of security personnel near an APC campaign billboard, challenging the ruling party’s description of the presence as a routine patrol.

It further raised concerns over reports that supporters had travelled from distant states to attend the APC’s Northwest rally in Kaduna, with some allegedly left sleeping outdoors.

The opposition also cited reports of accidents involving APC supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to the rally, while acknowledging that details remained unconfirmed.

It called on the APC to account for the safety of those travelling to its political events, arguing that supporters should not be exposed to unnecessary hardship in the pursuit of campaign attendance figures.

The ADC described the alleged practice of transporting supporters across long distances to create impressive rally appearances as political exploitation, insisting that crowd size should not be confused with genuine public support.

It also questioned the scope of Tinubu’s campaign activities, alleging that the President was campaigning in only 12 states and suggesting that supporters might be moved between locations to boost attendance at successive rallies.

The party argued that political mobilisation and campaign publicity could not substitute for genuine public acceptance.

“You can hire buses, assemble a crowd and plaster the streets with billboards. You cannot hire consent,” the statement said.

The opposition maintained that Nigerians were increasingly concerned about the cost of food, transportation and other essential goods, adding that political statements would not ease the financial pressure on households.

It also argued that Alake’s criticism of Atiku would not address the economic difficulties facing citizens, insisting that the administration should be judged by its policies and their consequences.

Describing the APC’s record as painful and indefensible, the ADC accused the ruling party of failing to fulfil its promises and called on Nigerians to reject it in the 2027 general election.

The statement concluded with a campaign message contrasting the two political figures: “Bola made life expensive; Atiku will make Nigeria affordable again!”

The ADC’s response reflects its political position ahead of the 2027 elections. Its allegations concerning campaign logistics, rally attendance and the economic impact of government policies require independent verification where disputed, while the party’s claim that Atiku would make Nigeria more affordable remains a campaign promise.