The Presidency has fired back at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over its recent statement accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of politicising the burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the party’s comments as “obnoxious,” “dishonest,” and “a desperate grab for relevance.”
In a strongly worded statement issued Saturday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, the Presidency described the ADC’s reaction as a “laughable tantrum” from a party “grappling with an identity crisis” and “embarrassing itself with hollow, attention-seeking criticisms.”
The ADC had earlier alleged that the Tinubu administration was exploiting the solemn occasion of Buhari’s burial for political gain — a claim the Presidency categorically rejected, instead accusing the opposition party of “dancing on his grave for relevance.”
“Let it be said clearly: the ADC is the one exploiting Buhari’s death for political attention, not this government,” Dare said. “They have chosen to dance on his grave for relevance. From Atiku and El-Rufai’s choreographed arrival in Daura to this disgraceful press statement, the ADC has shown itself to be utterly shameless.”
Dare noted that the state burial accorded Buhari was conducted with dignity and attended by world leaders, while millions of Nigerians watched across various media platforms. He described the event as a reflection of the government’s respect for the late statesman.
In a bid to contrast what it called the “noisy irrelevance” of the ADC, the Presidency listed a series of achievements under the Tinubu administration, including:
Stabilisation of the naira and harmonisation of exchange rates
Increase in oil production to 1.7 million barrels per day
A 60% rise in FAAC allocations
Resumption of salary and pension payments in 31 previously struggling states
Completion of major infrastructure projects including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Ogbia-Nembe Road
Over 400,000 students benefitting from the new NELFUND loan scheme
Launch of a nationwide Consumer Credit Scheme
Restoration of electricity to long-neglected communities
“These are not press statements. These are results. Tangible, measurable, and ongoing. That is leadership,” Dare declared.
He further criticised the ADC for being plagued by internal crises and court cases, stating that the party “is consumed by internal squabbles” and “reduced to issuing baseless attacks to cling to the fringes of relevance.”
“Nigerians are not fooled,” the statement concluded. “No press statement — however venomous — can erase the facts of progress. President Tinubu honoured Buhari with dignity in death and continues to honour his legacy through hard work, not hollow words.”
The Presidency urged Nigerians to disregard what it termed “political noise” from a party “gasping for attention.”