The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent appointments, labeling them a “desperate and cynical attempt” to regain the trust of Northern Nigerians after over a year of perceived neglect. The party characterized the move as “too little, too late,” accusing the government of offering mere symbolic gestures instead of substantive solutions to the region’s growing dissatisfaction.
In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC claimed the appointments appear to be a panicked response rather than a genuine effort to address regional imbalances in governance. Abdullahi remarked, “You cannot marginalise a region for over twenty-five months and expect applause simply because, in the twenty-sixth month, you suddenly remember that Nigeria is bigger than Lagos State.”
The ADC linked the appointments to broader government failures, citing issues such as the removal of fuel subsidies and escalating insecurity in Northern Nigeria. Abdullahi emphasized that the government had ignored the suffering in the region, where bandits terrorized communities and farmers abandoned their lands.
He argued that Northerners, as equal stakeholders, would not be swayed by what he termed “consolation prizes” after the damage had been done. Abdullahi concluded by urging the Tinubu administration to abandon “Bourdillon-style appeasement politics” and commit to genuine national inclusion through fair policies and respect for the federal character principle.
