President Bola Tinubu has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of attempting to “privatise” the African Democratic Congress (ADC), linking the party’s current leadership crisis to Abubakar’s controversial history with national asset divestment.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has aimed a sharp critique at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of attempting to “privatise” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the party’s recent leadership collapse. Speaking at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, April 16, 2026, while hosting a delegation of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA), Tinubu suggested that the internal strife within the ADC was a result of Abubakar’s efforts to exert personal control over the party’s structure. The President drew a biting comparison between the party’s current instability and Abubakar’s tenure as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, arguing that his past economic record was marked by inefficiency.
The President questioned the success of national assets divested under Abubakar’s supervision, specifically citing the industrial struggles of the steel sector. “The head [Atiku] was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria (NPC). He privatised the steel industry in Delta; is it working today? No. He privatised Ajaokuta. Is it working today? No, I can go on to list,” Tinubu stated. He further alleged that the former Vice-President’s habit of acquisition had extended into the political sphere, adding, “They privatise another man’s political party, but the man (owner) said no.” The remarks come as the ADC remains fractured into three factions led by David Mark, Nafiu Bala, and Ogga Kingsley, following an opposition coalition’s takeover in July 2025.
The leadership crisis within the ADC reached a critical juncture on April 1, 2026, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) derecognised the factions led by both Mark and Bala following an interim ruling by the Court of Appeal. This regulatory withdrawal has left the party in a state of administrative limbo just as opposition forces attempt to consolidate ahead of the 2027 general elections. Tinubu, however, remained dismissive of the opposition’s maneuvers, reaffirming his resilience to the RHA coordinators. “Me? They want to scare me off? It’s a lie. I am Jagaban,” he declared, insisting that his administration would not be distracted by the internal disputes of rival parties.
READ THE THE FULL STORY IN THE CABLE