The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s request for Nigeria to maintain a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, referring to the request as “absurd” considering the worsening security situation in the nation.
In a statement via its national publicity secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party observed that Nigeria cannot aspire to greater international responsibilities when it cannot fulfill the most basic responsibility of protecting the life and property of Nigerian citizens.
“The Tinubu government cannot ask to sit at the top table of global security negotiations when bandits kill Nigerians in and occupy parts of our nation,” Abdullahi said.
Speaking of recent Zamfara and Katsina attacks where dozens of villagers and worshippers were butchered, the party accused armed gangs of serving as a “parallel government,” holding up farmers for extortion money, deciding who should enter or exit farmland, and killing with impunity.
The ADC called the situation not only insecurity but “a systematic erosion of Nigeria’s territorial integrity,” and held the government responsible for complacency. “What we have are condolence tweets where action is required,” it said.
The party also criticized President Tinubu for absenting himself at the commissioning of 874 new military officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna for the second consecutive year, alleging he had misplaced priorities. He instead commissioned the renovated National Arts Theatre in Lagos.
In the bleak security reality, the President ought to have been in Kaduna to inspire young officers and reassure northern Nigerian citizens. His failure is contemptible indifference,” the statement added.
The ADC warned that Nigeria’s candidacy for a seat on the Security Council would be a joke until the government demonstrates willingness and ability to safeguard its people.
It urged Tinubu to declare, with all haste, a state of emergency with respect to security in Zamfara State, noting that leadership internationally begins with responsibility at home.
