The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of exploiting the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari for political gain. The party described this move as cynical and opportunistic, aimed at improving the government’s image.
In a statement signed by Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, the party said Tinubu’s administration is trying to use Buhari’s death to cover up its poor performance. The statement called the Federal Executive Council (FEC) tribute and the publicized appearance of Buhari’s son, Yusuf, a carefully planned public relations (PR) stunt by an unpopular government.
ADC pointed out that the same government had spent more than a year blaming Buhari for Nigeria’s economic problems. Now, it is showing public grief to repair its damaged reputation, especially in the North and among Buhari’s supporters.
The party also recalled how the Tinubu government distanced itself from Buhari’s policies on issues like fuel subsidy, the economy, and public sector management. Now, it tries to claim Buhari’s legacy as its own.
“Grief is not a campaign strategy,” the ADC said. It warned that Buhari’s family should be allowed to mourn privately and not be used for political shows.
The statement said, “The ADC condemns the Tinubu administration’s sudden and cynical attempt to wrap itself in the memory of the late President Muhammadu Buhari—a man this same government spent over a year blaming and sidelining for Nigeria’s problems.”
The tribute by the Federal Executive Council, featuring Buhari’s grieving son, was described as a staged event. The ADC said it was meant to distract Nigerians from the government’s failures and to rewrite history while the country is in mourning.
“This is hypocritical and in bad taste,” the party added. “You cannot discredit a man’s legacy for months and then act sad for the cameras.”
The ADC also criticized the government for involving Yusuf Buhari, a private citizen and grieving son, in a political event so soon after his father’s burial. “What kind of government uses the pain of a bereaved family to improve its own image?” the statement asked.
Since taking office, the ADC said, Tinubu and his team have worked hard to distance themselves from Buhari’s policies. They blamed Buhari for fiscal recklessness and the poor economy. The government claimed it inherited a broken system not from opposition but from Buhari himself.
“The message was clear: Buhari was the problem, Tinubu was the solution,” the ADC explained. “But now that it fits their political goals, they try to act as defenders of Buhari’s legacy, giving him in death the honor they denied him in life.”
Earlier this week, the ADC warned Buhari’s family about the government’s plan to use their loss for political advantage. The recent FEC tribute is just one part of this larger plan, the party said.
The ADC described the staged grief and forced gratitude by Buhari’s son as unconscionable and called on all decent people to condemn it.
Despite these tactics, the ADC expressed confidence that Nigerians can see through the deception. The statement concluded that no PR stunt can save a government that has acted like an army of occupation over the past two years.
