The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asserted that Nigeria’s exclusion from high‑level White House trade discussions stems from President Bola Tinubu’s poor economic performance, claiming the country has fallen from continental leadership under the All Progressives Congress (APC). This was stated in a release by ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
In the same statement, ADC’s Interim National Chairman, Senator David Mark, reassured that under his guidance the party would be “absolutely transparent.”
Mallam Salihu Lukman, former Director-General of the APC Governors’ Forum and a key figure in the ADC coalition, further declared that the party’s internal structure would not be handed over to any 2027 presidential aspirant.
In response, the federal government dismissed opposing coalition members as parties “averse to the sustained focus on the economic progress the country was recording.” The APC added there was no reason for Tinubu or his party to expend effort on a destabilised ADC already collapsing under internal strife.
The U.S. planned to host the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal for business talks at the White House—Nigeria was omitted.
ADC criticised this exclusion as an international rebuke of Tinubu’s leadership, citing weak diplomacy and economic mismanagement that “Nigeria is no longer taken seriously,” despite being Africa’s largest economy and diaspora.
“What this means in plain language is that under President Tinubu, Nigeria is no longer taken seriously. Although we are Africa’s largest economy, with the largest consumer market and Africa’s most influential diaspora, the United States chose to bypass us…”
ADC also criticised Nigeria’s engagement with smaller nations such as St. Lucia, contrasting that with the missed opportunity to elevate the African Union’s global trade interests—especially given Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s position at the WTO.
Further embittering relations, ADC noted that Nigeria now faces a possible U.S. tariff due to its association with BRICS, declaring:
“The ADC is not opposed to BRICS, but we are opposed to Nigeria punching below its weight by playing in the small league.”
In a political squabble, ADC accused APC of using names of non-ADC members to file legal suits against its interim leadership, “smacking of desperation” as APC allegedly scavenges names for political maneuvering.
Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, leader of ADC’s National Legal Support Group, announced that “no fewer than 97 lawyers” are prepared to defend the party in court.
Mark on Transparency and Candidate Selection
Senator David Mark emphasised the ADC’s commitment to equitable governance, stating the party has “no preferred or favourite presidential aspirant” and pledged to build a strong, inclusive platform before nominating any candidate. He appealed for unity, saying:
“I don’t own this party more than any of our members… We must bond together to build the party before we can talk of ambitions.”
He also urged the APC to abandon personal attacks and address policy missteps, particularly on security issues.
Lukman on Party Structure
Mallam Salihu Lukman stressed that ADC’s internal structure will remain independent, not dictated by high-profile candidates like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, or Chibuike Ameachi. He highlighted that the party undertook thorough legal due diligence, asserting that ADC is positioned for stability and internal regulation.
Government and APC Responses
Minister Mohammed Idris defended the Tinubu administration, asserting it remains committed to reforms and economic recovery. He listed achievements, including reduced oil theft, improved investor confidence, lower inflation, currency stabilization, and transformative tax and agricultural mechanisation initiatives.
APC spokesperson Felix Morka dismissed ADC’s allegations as baseless, accusing the party of “lies and deception” and declaring there was no “secret meeting” involving federal officials. He characterised ADC as “mortally wounded” and suggested it would unravel without interference from APC.
