Politics
Tinubu’s Convention Speech Signals Loyalty Demands Amid Social Strains And Institutional Biases
Tinubu’s Convention Speech Signals Loyalty Demands Amid Social Strains and Institutional Biases By Emman Usman Shehu
At Eagle Square on March 27, 2026, President Bola Tinubu addressed the All Progressives Congress (APC) during its 4th elective national convention. His speech, framed around the theme “Unity in Progress: Consolidating the Renewed Hope Agenda,” sought to project cohesion and optimism three years into a presidency defined by bold, yet controversial, economic reforms.
But beneath the formal tone lay tensions that the address did not acknowledge: a party still grappling with factionalism, public discontent over austerity measures, and rising concerns about authoritarian tendencies.
Tinubu celebrated the APC’s 2013 origins as a pragmatic coalition formed to correct the perceived failures of the PDP and paid tribute to founding figures, including the late President Muhammadu Buhari. He claimed the party’s greatest strength was its unity. Critics, however, note that defections now hailed as “voluntary endorsements” are often facilitated by political incentives, highlighting the fragile nature of this so-called unity.
The president defended his Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and the naira flotation. While these reforms have improved government revenue and moderated headline inflation (down to 15.06% in February 2026), they inflicted significant hardship. Fuel prices surged from N190 to N950 per litre, pushing millions of low-income households deeper into poverty. Social protection measures helped somewhat, but welfare conditions remain worse than before. Analysts warn that framing these sacrifices as long-term prosperity may increasingly feel hollow to citizens struggling with daily costs.
Tinubu also defended the Electoral Act 2026, dismissing opposition concerns as a “disservice” to the legislative process. Critics highlight the controversial manner of the amendment’s passage, rushed provisions for electronic results transmission, and removal of penalties for certificate forgery—all raising questions about fairness ahead of the 2027 elections.
Perhaps most worrying to observers are signs of a creeping authoritarian tilt. Peaceful protests in 2024, such as #EndBadGovernance, resulted in hundreds of arrests, including minors, under charges of treason or terrorism. Digital crackdowns targeted journalists and citizens alike, with reports of over 140 attacks on online expression. Furthermore, selective anti-corruption enforcement fuels perceptions of bias: high-profile cases against defectors often vanish once they join the APC. The recent plea bargain of former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, resolved after her defection, has sparked controversy and reinforced these perceptions.
While Tinubu reaffirmed the importance of opposition voices, actions on the ground suggest dissent is tolerated only if polite and deferential. Rising insecurity, youth unemployment, and widening inequality underscore that Nigerians need tangible relief, not speeches promising a better tomorrow.
In essence, the APC convention projected unity and forward momentum, but analysts and critics argue that the event also revealed the party’s vulnerabilities: social hardship, institutional favoritism, and the centralization of authority. True progress, they argue, will require not just rhetorical unity but accountability, impartial governance, and protection of dissenting voices.
Dr. Shehu is an Abuja-based writer, activist, and educator.
News
ADC Reacts To INEC’s Interpretation Of Appeal Court Statement
ADC Reacts To INEC’s Interpretation Of Appeal Court Statement
Appeal court statement. The African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has rejected INEC’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling, alleging that the electoral body acted under pressure from a government panicked by the opposition momentum despite its efforts to destroy all opposition parties and foist a one-party rule on Nigeria.
The party described INEC’s position as contradictory and inconsistent with facts, insisting that it would publicly clarify these issues, while warning that the commission has effectively sided with the government against Nigerians. ADC said it is currently reviewing its options and will announce its next steps soon, urging its members and the public to remain steadfast as events unfold.
The full statement read:
We reject INEC’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling. We knew that INEC was being pressured by a government that has become jittery from the ADC’s rising momentum even in the face of its relentless assault on all opposition parties.

ADC
INEC’s press statement is full of contradictions that fly in the face of both facts and reason. We shall clarify these contradictions for all to see. What is clear, however, is that INEC has caved to pressure and has chosen to side with the government against the Nigerian people.
We are currently reviewing our options, and we shall make these known soon.
Meanwhile, we call on our members and all Nigerians to remain steadfast as they await further directives.
Nigeria is rising. ADC is rising.
Signed:
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi National Publicity Secretary African Democratic Congress (ADC)
News
NNPP Directs Members To Register With ADC In Katsina
NNPP Directs Members To Register With ADC In Katsina
The Katsina chapter of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) has directed all members across the 34 local government areas of the state to register with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The secretary of the party in the state, Tijjani Kafinsoli, announced the decision in an interview with journalists in Katsina on Wednesday.
In preparation for the 2027 elections, the national leader of the NNPP, former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has joined the ADC.
According to Mr Kafinsoli, the NNPP chairman in the state, Armaya’u Abdulkadir, announced the decision following a directive from the party’s national headquarters.
He explained that all executive members and other office holders of the party should remain in their respective positions, except for those who wish to resign and pursue other political careers.
Mr Kafinsoli said: “All party officials, from the ward up to the state level, should hold on and not individually join the ADC, because the entire party will move into the party collectively.

NNPP, ADC
“However, all NNPP card-carrying members who do not hold any position should quickly obtain the ADC membership card and attach it to their voter card.”
According to Mr Kafinsoli, discussions are ongoing between the two parties in order to have a single-structure party ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
News
ADC Demands Clarity From INEC On Purported Voter Revalidation Plan
ADC Demands Clarity From INEC On Purported Voter Revalidation Plan
ADC demands clarity from INEC on purported voter revalidation plan.
-CALLS PLAN 10 MONTHS BEFORE ELECTIONS ‘A RECIPE FOR CHAOS’ AND VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently confirm the authenticity of a leaked memo suggesting plans for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise, warning that if true, the move would be a “recipe for chaos” capable of disenfranchising millions of Nigerians ahead of the elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party argued that requiring already registered voters to revalidate their details less than ten months to the polls would suppress turnout, deepen voter apathy, and unfairly exclude those unable to travel, adding that the only likely beneficiary of such confusion is the ruling party. The ADC also questioned why such a major exercise is emerging through a leak just days to its proposed commencement, cautioning INEC against actions that could be perceived as aiding electoral manipulation, and urging the Commission to abandon the plan and reassure Nigerians of its commitment to a credible and inclusive electoral process.
The full statement read:
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been inundated with reports of a purported internal memo from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), indicating plans to embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise.
We call on INEC to immediately confirm to Nigerians whether this memo is genuine, and whether it indeed reflects an official plan of the Commission.
If true, this development raises serious concerns and must be rejected outright as a recipe for chaos.
Coming less than ten months to a general election, such an exercise risks disenfranchising millions of Nigerians. It is already difficult enough to get citizens to register to vote in the first place. To now require them to return and “revalidate” their registration is, in effect, to ask them not to bother at all.
INEC must clearly explain what happens to Nigerians who, for valid reasons, are unable to travel for this exercise. Are they to lose their right to vote simply because they cannot make it back to designated centres within a narrow window?
At a time when voter apathy is already a major challenge, any policy that adds new barriers to participation will only suppress turnout further. And when turnout is suppressed, the credibility of the electoral process is inevitably called into question.
In this case, the only obvious beneficiary of such confusion is the ruling party.
No matter its stated intentions, INEC must be careful not to lend itself to accusations of helping the ruling party rig the elections before the votes are even cast. The Commission’s credibility rests not just on what it does, but on how its actions are perceived by Nigerians.
It is equally troubling that such a significant national exercise is only coming to public attention through a leaked memo, allegedly just days before implementation. For an exercise of this magnitude, Nigerians deserve transparency, not ambiguity.

ADC
If any voter revalidation was ever required, it should have been conducted immediately after the last election, not on the eve of another.
The ADC therefore calls on INEC to abandon this plan and reassure Nigerians that no policy will be introduced at this critical time that could disenfranchise voters or undermine confidence in the electoral process.
Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford avoidable disruptions. The right to vote must not be subjected to last-minute administrative experiments.
Signed:
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
African Democratic Congress (ADC)
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