ADC attack: Presidential aide defends Tinubu’s democratic credentials

Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, has criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) attacks on the administration, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.

Mr Dare stated this on Saturday in a response titled “What’s That Noise!” directed at Hon. Nnenna Ukeje and the ADC Forum of National Legislators.

He said the opposition party had begun attacking the president and questioning the electoral process even before the official commencement of the election season.

According to him, the strategy is aimed at blackmailing the government, discrediting institutions and attracting foreign sympathy.

Mr Dare described the outing by the ADC legislators as theatrical and lacking substance, restraint and constitutional fidelity.

He said what Nigerians witnessed was not a principled defence of democracy but an attempt to weaponise rhetoric and distract from internal divisions within the party.

The presidential aide noted that the opposition itself acknowledged Tinubu’s democratic record, including his role in strengthening opposition politics and resisting authoritarian rule.

He said it was contradictory to praise the president’s democratic credentials and then accuse him of undermining democracy without evidence.

“You cannot spend the first half of a press conference affirming a man’s lifelong commitment to democracy, and the second half alleging without proof that he has abandoned it,” he said.

Mr Dare added that Tinubu did not mention the ADC directly or indirectly in the remarks that triggered the reaction.

He said the party’s assumption that the comments referred to it amounted to self-indictment.

On allegations of judicial interference, Dare said Nigeria’s judiciary remained constitutionally independent.

He warned that attempts to discredit the courts on the basis of political disagreements could weaken democratic institutions.

The aide also dismissed claims involving the Chief of Staff, saying isolated comments taken out of context could not be used as evidence of executive interference.

According to him, the ADC’s major problem was internal fragmentation, leadership disputes and lack of ideological cohesion.

He described the coalition as a gathering of political opportunists united more by ambition than shared principles.

Mr Dare said Nigerians deserved political discourse rooted in facts, discipline and credibility rather than conspiracy theories and noise.

He reaffirmed Tinubu’s commitment to the rule of law, democratic governance and institutional independence.
NAN