President Bola Tinubu has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over the ongoing leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress, accusing him of trying to exert undue control over the opposition party.
Speaking on Thursday while hosting members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu linked the internal wrangling within the ADC to what he described as Atiku’s longstanding political style.
“The head (Atiku) was chairman of the privatisation council. He privatised key national assets, but what is the result today?” Tinubu said.
“Now they want to privatise a political party, but the owner has resisted.”
The President referenced past privatisation exercises, including those involving Ajaokuta Steel and Delta Steel, arguing that such policies had not yielded the desired outcomes.
His remarks come amid a lingering leadership dispute within the ADC, which has deepened since an opposition coalition took over the party’s structure in mid-2025.
The crisis has split the party into rival factions, including groups aligned with former Senate President David Mark, former deputy national chairman Nafiu Bala, and another led by Ogga Kingsley.
Bala has challenged the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership, alleging it was unlawfully constituted, further escalating tensions within the party.
The situation took a legal turn on April 1 when the Independent National Electoral Commission withdrew recognition of both factions following an interim ruling by the Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria is expected to hear an appeal on April 22 filed by Mark over the leadership dispute.
Meanwhile, a faction of the party in Adamawa State has announced the suspension of Atiku, accusing him of fuelling divisions within the ADC.The prolonged crisis has cast doubts over the unity of opposition forces as political activities gradually build toward the 2027 general elections.