The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a fierce condemnation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration in the wake of a United States military airstrike conducted within Nigeria's borders. The party has accused the President of fundamentally outsourcing a core constitutional duty—national security—to a foreign power.
ADC Accuses President of Constitutional Abdication
In a statement released on Friday, December 27, 2024, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC framed the incident as a severe compromise of Nigeria's self-governance. The party's central allegation is that President Tinubu has taken a passive role in safeguarding the nation.
"What we see is that President Tinubu has outsourced his most important constitutional responsibility, effectively taking a back seat in a vehicle he is constitutionally assigned to drive," the ADC declared. The statement posed a pointed question to the Nigerian public: "When the President of Nigeria appears compelled to report himself to another head of state, Nigerians are entitled to ask who is truly in charge of their country."
Demands for Clarity on Control and Casualties
The opposition party raised serious concerns about the nature of Nigeria's involvement in the operation. Based on government statements, the ADC argued that Nigeria served merely in an intelligence-support or informant role, rather than commanding the mission on its own territory.
The ADC has therefore demanded full transparency from the Federal Government on several critical fronts:
- The precise terms of engagement with the United States.
- The exact level of operational control exercised by Nigerian security forces during the airstrike.
- Verified casualty figures, specifically how many terrorists were neutralised.
"Why was Nigeria, which has spent trillions of naira on security over the years, unable to lead this mission if it possessed the actionable intelligence?" the party questioned, highlighting a perceived inconsistency in defence capabilities and expenditure.
Warning Against "Myopic Surrender" to Foreign Powers
While reiterating its support for genuine counter-terrorism efforts, the ADC drew a sharp distinction between partnership and subordination. The party warned against what it termed a "myopic surrender" disguised as strategic collaboration, stating that such an approach is ultimately counter-productive to long-term national security and sovereign interests.
The ADC also objected to the framing of Nigeria's security challenges, questioning why the United States was permitted to describe the situation in "sectional religious terms" if the partnership was truly balanced and collaborative.
The party concluded by stressing that a single foreign-led strike cannot eradicate terrorism and urged the Tinubu administration to clearly outline its subsequent strategy. "What matters now is the direction the government intends to take going forward, and it must start by answering the critical questions that this attack has thrown up," the statement read.
The statement was officially issued from the nation's capital, Abuja. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier confirmed the US military action, describing the strikes as "precision hits" conducted under existing security cooperation frameworks that include intelligence sharing and strategic coordination.
