2027: ADC Says Tinubu Must Reapply, Slams APC’s ‘No Vacancy’ Claim

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned recent remarks by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) suggesting that there is “no vacancy in Aso Rock” in 2027, insisting that President Bola Tinubu must “reapply” to Nigerians for a second term.

The criticism followed a statement made by APC’s new National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who told party members that the presidential seat is not open for contest in the next election cycle.

Reacting through its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the comment as “arrogant, undemocratic and disrespectful” to Nigerians facing severe economic hardship.

“We understand why APC is afraid, and would wish that they could somehow avoid that day of reckoning with the ballot box. The very fact of periodic elections means that every incumbent must renew its mandate,” Abdullahi stated in the release.

According to the ADC, the presidency is not a birthright or royal inheritance, but a trust that must be earned through measurable performance and accountability.

The opposition party further warned that such declarations by APC undermine public confidence and may signal disregard for the electoral rights of Nigerians.

The full press statement is presented below:

PRESS STATEMENT

The APC Must Reapply to the Nigerian People in 2027 — Says “No Vacancy” Comment Arrogant and Undemocratic

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has responded to recent comments by the new National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, that there would be “no vacancy in Aso Rock” come 2027.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the remark as presumptuous and undemocratic, insisting that the Presidency of Nigeria is not a hereditary office, but a mandate that must be earned and renewed through performance and public trust.

According to the opposition party, the APC’s “no vacancy” statement betrays an arrogant mindset, that appears to overlook the right of Nigerian people to choose. The ADC warned that the APC should guide against utterances that could further suggest that people’s votes would not count.

The full statement read:
The APC Chairman’s recent declaration of “no vacancy in Aso Rock” is presumptuous and disrespectful of Nigerian people, who are tired of hunger, insecurity, joblessness, and unfulfilled promises, and therefore cannot wait to reclaim their future at the ballot box.

We understand why APC is afraid, and would wish that they could somehow avoid that day of reckoning with the ballot box. The very fact of periodic elections means that every incumbent must renew its mandate. Therefore, regardless of what APC thinks, there will be vacancy at the Presidential Villa in 2027.

President Tinubu must re-apply to the Nigerian people, and he must show Nigerians why they should allow him to continue on the job, despite his ruinous policies that have made life miserable for the majority. In 2027, APC and President Tinubu will be evaluated based on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) of youth employment, security of lives, hunger and poverty, electricity supply, and justice to all. And no amount of propaganda can change their report cards in the eyes of Nigerians.

While the APC government and its media operatives continue to clap for themselves, and awarding themselves medals of excellence, the price of food has continued to rise beyond the reach of majority of Nigerians, ever increasing number of our communities are being taken over by bandits, and our Naira remains battered and broken.

This is why, to declare “no vacancy” two years before an election, is to spit in the face of every Nigerian who still believes in their democratic power. It is to say: your vote does not matter.

It is to mock the pain of the mothers and fathers who cannot afford food, the graduate who cannot find a job, and the entrepreneurs whose businesses have collapsed due to no fault of theirs. Let it be known, the APC will have to reapply for the job of leading this country in 2027, and they do not get to mark their own papers.

Signed,
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary, African Democratic Congress (ADC)

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