ADC to Tinubu: Nigeria is Not Lagos – Forget 2031
- Nigeria News
- 25.09.2025
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- 18
ADC to Tinubu: Nigeria is Not Lagos – Forget 2031
Abuja, Nigeria – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly rejected the Presidency’s assurances that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no plan to extend his stay in office beyond 2031. The opposition party insists that the President’s constitutional mandate ends in 2027 and warned against any attempt to normalise tenure elongation in Nigeria’s democratic system.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said Nigerians would not support an extension of the President’s rule “by a single day,” citing widespread insecurity, economic hardship, and abuse of power under his administration.
“Given the spate of banditry and killings raging across the country, the widespread hunger and suffering, the punitive taxes, and the flagrant abuse of power at a scale never seen before, the President should be preparing to leave in 2027. Any plan to stay in office beyond that date would indeed be a confirmation that this government is incapable of reading the room,” Abdullahi declared.
The ADC’s response follows the Presidency’s dismissal of claims by former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who alleged that President Tinubu harboured ambitions of becoming a “life President.”
“The Presidency’s desperate response to the recent remarks by former governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, only serves to confirm what Nigerians have long suspected: this administration is not only out of touch with reality, it has also become dangerously self-satisfied,” the ADC declared.
The party accused President Tinubu of treating re-election as a given, without accountability to the Nigerian people.
“That the President is already speaking of remaining in office till 2031 betrays a mindset that dismisses re-election as mere formalities, rather than a constitutional requirement to present his scorecard to the people. But re-election is not automatic, and President Tinubu has not earned a second term,” the ADC stated.
On the issue of national security, the ADC said bandits and terrorists had taken control of swathes of the North, operating with impunity and even levying taxes on citizens.
“Under his watch, national security has degenerated into a cruel joke. Terrorists, bandits, and criminals now operate with total impunity. Citizens are kidnapped in broad daylight. Rural communities have become war zones,” Abdullahi lamented.
The party painted a bleak picture of the Nigerian economy under Tinubu, accusing his administration of collapsing the naira, fuelling inflation, and destroying businesses.
“The naira has collapsed. Inflation is out of control. Food prices have tripled in many parts of the country. Jobs are vanishing. The middle class is disappearing. Businesses that once thrived are collapsing under the weight of punitive taxes and policy inconsistencies,” the ADC argued.
The statement also noted that power supply, healthcare, and education had worsened since Tinubu assumed office, leaving Nigerians “poorer and angrier.”
Given this “comprehensive failure,” the party warned that it was “not only insensitive but downright dangerous” for anyone in the Tinubu presidency to speak glibly of a second term. “The President should not be plotting to stay. He should be preparing to leave. He has done enough damage,” the party warned.
The ADC further accused Tinubu of trying to replicate at the national level the political dominance he maintained in Lagos State since leaving office as governor in 2007.
“Let it be said clearly and without ambiguity: Nigeria is not Lagos. Nigerians are watching. And come 2027, it won’t be APC versus ADC, it will be APC versus the Nigerian people,” the party added.
The ADC’s statement has triggered fresh debates about tenure elongation, democratic accountability, and governance in Nigeria. Political analysts argue that the opposition’s warnings reflect widespread public dissatisfaction and a growing demand for stronger institutions to prevent any attempts at undermining the 1999 Constitution.
The Constitution currently limits the President to two four-year terms, making Tinubu’s tenure set to end in 2027 unless re-elected in a free and fair election.
Key Points from ADC’s Statement
- ADC warns President Tinubu against any attempt to extend his tenure beyond 2027.
- The party cites insecurity, economic hardship, and abuse of power as reasons Nigerians will not support tenure elongation.
- ADC accuses Tinubu of treating re-election as a given, without accountability to the people.
- Banditry, terrorism, and kidnappings have worsened under Tinubu’s administration.
- The economy has collapsed, with inflation and unemployment on the rise.
- “Nigeria is not Lagos” – ADC warns Tinubu against replicating his Lagos-style dominance nationally.
The ADC’s strongly worded statement represents a significant challenge to President Tinubu’s administration as it grapples with insecurity, economic instability, and public dissatisfaction. By declaring that “Nigeria is not Lagos” and warning the President to “forget 2031,” the party has positioned itself as a key voice of opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Whether or not President Tinubu responds directly, the debate about tenure elongation and governance in Nigeria is likely to intensify as the country moves closer to another pivotal election year.
