President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign council has come under fresh fire, with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of filling the campaign structure with individuals facing unresolved corruption questions.
The opposition party described the council as a possible “rehabilitation centre” for people previously linked to corruption allegations, demanding explanations over the inclusion of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu and former Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund chairman, Ngozi Olejeme.
In a statement, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, challenged the government to explain whether the cases involving the two former officials had been concluded and cleared.
The party specifically questioned what happened to the controversy surrounding Edu, who was suspended by President Tinubu after an attempted transfer of N585 million to a private account sparked public outrage.
It also pointed to Olejeme, who had faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial misconduct.
The ADC demanded to know whether the allegations against the two former officials had been dismissed, and if so, who cleared them, when the clearance was granted and on what basis.
The opposition party alleged that the development reflected a growing pattern in which corruption investigations under the Tinubu administration quietly disappear, only for individuals previously under scrutiny to resurface in political or government positions.
The ADC further dismissed the idea that the campaign council could simply campaign its way out of the economic hardship confronting Nigerians.
According to the party, the 2027 election will be a referendum on Tinubu’s performance over his first three years in office, with issues such as rising living costs, poverty and government spending likely to dominate the contest.
The opposition party also renewed its demand for a targeted intervention to reduce the price of petrol, insisting that it supports a controlled, budgeted and independently audited subsidy system.
It said every naira spent under such a programme must be traceable, while every barrel of crude must be properly accounted for.
The ADC criticised the government’s argument that Nigeria could not afford a subsidy intervention, saying the position amounted to telling struggling Nigerians that the government could not afford to protect them from the economic crisis.
The party also accused the administration of tolerating wasteful spending while ordinary Nigerians continue to struggle with the rising cost of living.
It challenged President Tinubu to account for what it described as the cost of his government’s policies before telling Nigerians that helping them cope with the economic crisis was too expensive.
The ADC maintained that the 2027 presidential battle would go beyond campaign promises, saying Nigerians would ultimately judge the administration on its record of economic management, accountability, corruption and the welfare of citizens.
