Politics
ADC: Tinubu Government’s Terrorist Reintegration Plan Exposes Dangerous Softness On Terror
ADC: Tinubu Government’s Terrorist Reintegration Plan Exposes Dangerous Softness On Terror
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Tinubu administration’s plan to reintegrate almost 800 terrorists into Nigerian communities, describing it as evidence that the government is “soft on terror and clueless on security.”
In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, the party argued that framing insurgents as “brothers” or “prodigal sons,” as some officials have done in recent weeks, in addition to the Tinubu government’s terrorist reintegration plans, reflects a dangerous misunderstanding of terrorism as an existential threat. It warned that reintegration without clear accountability and justice for victims indicates injustice and dangerously encourages terrorism.
The full statement read:
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken note of reports that the Tinubu administration is proceeding with plans to reintegrate hundreds of so-called repentant terrorists into society. Taken together with a pattern of official remarks over time describing such individuals as “brothers” and even “prodigal sons,” this decision points to a deeper and more troubling reality: a government that does not fully grasp the nature or scale of the threat it faces.
Terrorism is not a family dispute. It is not a moral metaphor. It is a sustained and organised campaign of violence against the Nigerian state and its people. It has taken lives, destroyed communities, displaced millions, and undermined the very foundation of security and economic stability in our country. To respond to such a threat with language that softens its meaning, and policies that appear to prioritise rehabilitation ahead of accountability, is not compassion. It is weakness.
What Nigerians are witnessing is not a coherent security strategy. It is, at best, confusion dressed up as policy; at worst, a dangerous policy of political appeasement that compounds the tragedy of victims of terror.
On one hand, the government claims to be prosecuting a war against terror. On the other, it appears eager to reintroduce insurgents, who have waged a war against the Nigerian state, into society without first establishing clear processes for justice, without transparent standards for determining genuine repentance, and without credible safeguards to protect the communities they are being returned to. This is not balance. It is a dangerous failure of judgment and political accommodation taken too far.
A government that treats terrorists as errant family members is a government that is dangerously soft on terror. And a government that cannot take a clear stand against its enemy cannot defeat it. Reintegration without justice is not reconciliation; it is injustice. It is facilitation. It sends the wrong signal to victims who are still waiting for closure, and even worse, it is a signal to those who may be considering violence that the cost of terror can be negotiated after the fact.
The Tinubu administration has failed to answer the most basic questions that any serious government must confront in a matter of this magnitude. Nigerians do not know who has been investigated, who has been prosecuted, or on what basis individuals are deemed safe for reintegration. There is no clarity on the systems that will monitor them after release, and no assurance that affected communities have been consulted or protected. In the absence of these answers, what is being presented as a strategy begins to look like abdication, if not collaboration.
ADC
The ADC believes that terrorism must be treated as what it is: an existential threat to the Nigerian state. Our approach will be rooted in clarity, accountability, and competence. Those who have committed grave crimes will face the full weight of the law, because justice is not optional in a society governed by laws.
Above all, the safety of Nigerian communities will come first, and the voices and rights of victims will be central to any national response.
Nigeria cannot afford mixed signals in a fight that demands discipline and resolve. National security is not a guessing game, and it is not a space for sentiment to override judgment. It requires leadership that understands the stakes and is prepared to act with firmness and clarity.
Signed,
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
African Democratic Congress (ADC)
ADC Youths Sets To Hold #AmupitanMustGo Protests In Lagos, Ogun, Jigawa
Youths of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are set to stage protests at offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos, Ogun and Jigawa states today under the #AmupitanMustGo campaign.
Balarabe Rufai, the party’s national youth leader, shared this in a post on X on Monday, attaching flyers for the Lagos and Ogun protests, both tagged ‘Operation Occupy INEC’.
According to Rufai, the Lagos protest will commence at 8am at Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), while the Ogun protest is scheduled for 11am at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) office in Abeokuta.
As of the time of filing this report, it was not clear whether the protests had commenced at the INEC office in Lagos.
In a separate post on Thursday, Rufai said ADC youths had earlier protested at the INEC office in Lagos, displaying placards with various inscriptions.
“Lagos ADC Youth Wing has taken a firm and peaceful stand, occupying INEC to deliver a clear message: the rule of law must be respected, due process must be upheld, Amupitan must resign immediately, and the Senator David Mark-led leadership must be restored without delay,” he wrote.
“This is a call for accountability, not chaos.
“When institutions fail to act with fairness, citizens have a duty to respond with courage and clarity. The demand is simple: restore integrity or step aside.”
On April 8, key opposition figures in the ADC, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; David Mark, the party’s national chairman; Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation; staged a similar protest tagged ‘Occupy INEC’ in Abuja.
Youths Threaten Protest
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election; Rauf Aregbesola, ADC national secretary; Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano; and Dino Melaye, former Kogi senator; were also among the protesters.
The protests follow INEC’s de-recognition of ADC factions on April 1, citing a March 12 court of appeal judgment ordering the maintenance of the status quo in the party’s leadership crisis.
The ADC demonstrators accused INEC of “partisanship”, calling for the sack of Joash Amupitan, its chairman.
APGA Will No Longer Tolerate Vote Buying, Transactional Politics At Primaries, Says Soludo
The Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, says the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) primaries will no longer permit monetary inducement or transactional politics.
He spoke on Saturday at the party’s South-East zonal stakeholders’ meeting in Awka.
Mr Soludo linked the party’s slow growth since 2002 to a culture where officials allegedly exploited aspirants during primaries.
He said the practice weakened internal democracy, discouraged credible participation and undermined institutional development.
“The era of marketing party tickets is over. Parties must be driven by values, policies and accountability, not commerce,” he said.
Mr Soludo lamented a system where party funds were allegedly shared immediately, leaving no structure for sustainable financing.
“The party has not grown because past leaderships treated it as a business venture. That must stop,” he added.
He urged stakeholders to reassess direction and rebuild APGA as a transparent, accountable and ideologically driven platform.
“Our tickets are not for sale. We are rebuilding the party into what it should be, not a trading post,” he said.
Mr Soludo said past practices, where aspirants were allegedly misled after financial commitments, eroded trust and discouraged genuine investment.
He warned that “give-and-take” politics in APGA had ended, stressing the party must serve collective interests.
APGA National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, announced an 11-point code of conduct for future primaries.
Mr Ezeokenwa said the framework would promote transparency, equity and internal democracy, while addressing disputes in nomination processes.
He said the party would adopt the Option A4 voting system for the 2026 primaries to enhance transparency and accountability.
“In the past, flawed primaries undermined APGA. Clear rules are needed to address these challenges,” he said.
According to him, the code bans officials from wearing campaign materials or accepting gifts and prohibits the distribution of money or items during primaries.
Mr Ezeokenwa added that only expression of interest fees would be paid initially, with nomination fees after successful screening.
He said officials must not attend private endorsement events and should step aside if supporting any aspirant.
Chukwuma Soludo
“Even presenting money as a kola nut or gift-sharing has been banned,” he said.
Earlier, National Vice Chairman (South-East), Chief Augustine Ehiemere, cited inadequate funding as a major challenge.
Mr Ehiemere urged elected and appointed officials to support the party’s platform for financial sustainability.
“Political activities require logistics, mobilisation and administration. Without funding, the party cannot function effectively,” he said.
Obi, Amaechi, Others Meet In Abuja, Discuss Nigeria’s Democratic Future
Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, on Saturday hosted Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and other opposition leaders at his Abuja residence.
Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, Achike Udenwa, former governor of Anambra; and Victor Oganku were also at the meeting.
TheCable understands that discussions by the politicians centred on strengthening the opposition front and Nigeria’s democratic future.
Amaechi, Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar are members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and are eyeing the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former minister contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary and came second behind President Bola Tinubu, who won the party’s ticket.
In March, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the party was working to adopt a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate for the 2027 poll.
Abdullahi said the party had the options of direct primaries and consensus for electing its presidential candidate, adding that indirect primaries were “no longer on the table”, as stipulated in the amended Electoral Act.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Amaechi said he has positioned himself as a viable contender for the next presidential race on the ADC platform.
Amaechi rejected the call for a consensus arrangement within the ADC ahead of the 2027 poll, insisting that aspirants must be allowed to test their popularity at the ballot.
Peter Obi
He said Nigerians are yearning for competent leadership to address economic hardship and insecurity.
The former governor of Rivers, however, said he would support Abubakar if the former vice-president emerges as the party’s standard-bearer for the 2027 presidential poll.
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