The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described as arrogant and undemocratic the statement credited to the newly elected National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, that there would be “no vacancy in Aso Rock” in 2027.
In a statement issued by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the presidency is not a hereditary office, but a mandate that must be earned and renewed through performance and public trust.
“The comment by Prof. Yilwatda betrays an arrogant mindset that overlooks the rights of Nigerians to choose their leaders through democratic means,” the party said.
The ADC argued that Nigerians are weary of the hunger, insecurity, joblessness, and broken promises that have characterized the APC’s leadership, and are eager to reclaim their future through the ballot.
“We understand why the APC is afraid and wishes it could avoid the day of reckoning at the ballot box,” the statement said. “The very essence of periodic elections is that every incumbent must seek a fresh mandate. Therefore, regardless of what the APC believes, there will be a vacancy at the Presidential Villa in 2027.”
The party insisted that President Bola Tinubu must reapply to Nigerians for a fresh term and must explain why, despite what it described as “ruinous policies,” he should be allowed to continue in office.
It said Tinubu’s performance would be judged by key performance indicators, including youth employment, security, poverty reduction, power supply, and social justice, not media propaganda.
“While the APC and its media operatives continue to award themselves medals of excellence, food prices are rising beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. Entire communities are being overrun by bandits, and the naira has been battered beyond recognition,” the statement read.
The ADC further described the “no vacancy” declaration as an insult to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians.
“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 mocks the pain of mothers and fathers who cannot afford food, the graduates who cannot find jobs, and the entrepreneurs whose businesses have collapsed through no fault of theirs.”
