The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has scoffed at President Bola Tinubu’s recent appointments of Northerners into federal positions, describing the gesture as a too-little-too-late attempt to woo the region ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a sharply worded statement on Thursday, ADC’s National Director of Communications and Programmes, Ifenla Oligbinde, accused Tinubu of sidelining the North for more than 25 months and now scrambling for regional approval with what it called “tokenistic gestures.”
“It is laughable that after nearly two years of near silence and neglect, President Tinubu suddenly remembered the North exists—right when election calculations are beginning,” Oligbinde said. “Token appointments, no matter how strategic they seem, cannot erase months of exclusion and perceived disrespect.”
The ADC warned that the North and other marginalized regions in Nigeria are no longer politically naïve and will not be swayed by superficial recognition. “The people can see through the smokescreen. They demand policies and engagement, not optics.”
Oligbinde emphasized that real governance is measured not by appointments made in political panic but by inclusive development, equity, and sustained dialogue. She called on the administration to genuinely address the economic hardship and insecurity affecting Nigerians rather than playing identity politics.
The party urged Nigerians, particularly the youth, to stay vigilant and hold leaders accountable ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that true national unity cannot be achieved through selective appeasement.
“The ADC believes that Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity,” Oligbinde concluded. “Any attempt to divide and rule, or to patronize regions as an afterthought, is not only outdated—it’s insulting.”
