ADC Crisis Is Self-Inflicted – FG

ADC

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communications, Sunday Dare, has dismissed concerns over Nigeria drifting into a one-party state. He recently had his say during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today with Seun Okinbaloye, and Nigerians have been reacting.

Stating that the ruling All Progressives Congress has no reason to undermine opposition parties, he insisted that the crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress is self-inflicted and a classic example of how not to run an opposition.

He further emphasized that President Bola Tinubu is mainly focused on governance, not partisan battles.

His words, “You know, what you’re seeing here is self-inflicted. The locus classicus we’re seeing right now is that the ADC, what has happened to it in the last several months, is a classic example of how not to run an opposition, how not to hijack and how not to run a party.

You decide to come in through the back door. You decide to ignore the fact that there are petitions and pending court cases. You decide to think that because you’re in the opposition and you can shout very loudly.

Rather than wait for court judgments, you decided to hire a foreign lobby firm, protest on the streets and attack the President. What has the President got to do with it? Why not go to court and prove your case?

Assuming what happened last week, where the names of David Mark and Aregbesola were not removed based on the judgment, ADC was on cruise control. They had the floor. Nobody complained at that time. You understand, but they brought this on themselves. It is self-inflicted. Why should we worry about that? How does that shrink the political space, or the democratic space?

Because a few adults who came together to form a party decided that, rather than do the hard work of forming a political party, building it organically, they prefer to seize another ship by whatever means. Don’t forget, it is very instructive how the APC was formed. Three parties took time, held meetings, dissolved their identities into one.

APC is not afraid of anything. The President has a legitimate mandate for four years and has busied himself with the affairs of the nation.

There’s no design to have just the APC on the ballot. We have over 20 registered political parties. Every party has the right to field candidates.

The fact that opposition figures can approach INEC, protest freely and say whatever they want shows that the democratic space is alive.

This President is a supporter and lover of the media. So long as you carry out your job professionally, this government will protect your right to do your job.”

WOW.