APC Fires Back at ADC Faction, Dismisses Allegations Against Tinubu as “Mischief and Propaganda”

By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly rebuffed allegations by a faction of the  African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing claims against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling party as “baseless,” “misleading,” and a desperate attempt to deflect from internal crises.

The rebuttal was disclosed during a press conference delivered by APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, on behalf of the party’s National Working Committee, in response to an earlier briefing by a factional ADC leadership led by former Senate President David Mark.

According to the APC, the opposition’s claims that the President is weakening political parties to impose a one-party state ahead of 2027 are unfounded and lack constitutional basis. Basiru stated, “President Bola Tinubu, by law under the constitution, has no power to deregister or to meddle into affairs of any political party.”

The party argued that the ADC’s current leadership crisis stems from internal disputes and legal missteps rather than any external interference. “The present predicament… has to do with the untidy way they hijacked the leadership of an existing political party… resulting in court litigation,” Basiru said.

Dismissing accusations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC maintained that the electoral body acted in strict compliance with a Court of Appeal ruling. Basiru explained that the appellate court dismissed the ADC faction’s appeal for being incompetent and ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending determination of the substantive case.

“The decision being implemented by INEC was as a consequence of the dismissal of an appeal filed by Senator Mark and his faction… Where does President Bola Tinubu feature in their claims, if not in fallacious and malicious propaganda?” he queried.

The APC further criticised the ADC faction for allegedly disregarding court orders by insisting on proceeding with congresses and conventions despite ongoing litigation. According to Basiru, “Insisting on proceeding with party congresses despite an ongoing case… raises serious concerns about their respect for legal processes.”

On the call by the ADC faction for the removal of INEC leadership, the APC described the demand as reckless and indicative of a lack of understanding of democratic institutions. “Their call for the sack of INEC chairman and commissioners exposes a lack of seriousness and understanding of leadership processes,” he said.

The ruling party also dismissed claims by the ADC faction that it represents a formidable opposition, citing poor electoral performance in recent contests. Basiru described the group as a “coalition of confusion,” adding that “Leadership of the opposition is not declared through a press conference… it is earned through consistent electoral credibility and public trust.”

Reaffirming its position, the APC urged the ADC faction to address its internal challenges rather than resorting to public accusations. “Blaming other parties will not fix their internal crisis… No amount of external finger-pointing can resolve their lingering leadership issues,” Basiru stated.

The party warned that continued disregard for legal processes could have consequences, stressing that any outcome of ongoing litigation should not be blamed on the APC or the President.

“They should look inward and stop finger-pointing,” the APC concluded, maintaining that Nigeria’s democratic institutions must be respected and upheld.