The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Friday said President Bola Tinubu has outsourced his constitutional responsibility with the December 25, 2025, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes in Sokoto State.

ADC, in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, added that President Tinubu took a back seat in a vehicle he is constitutionally assigned to drive.

“When the resident of Nigeria appears compelled to report himself to another head of state, even tagging a foreign president in a Christmas Day message, Nigerians are entitled to ask who is truly in charge of their country,” the party stated.

It stated that the attack highlighted Tinubu’s incompetence in managing the security situation in the country.

“This is what happens when a government behaves as though governance is all about revenue collection and all other issues, including national security and diplomacy, could be treated as an afterthought,” the party stated.

ADC said it recognises the serious security challenges confronting Nigeria and will support all lawful and effective measures aimed at saving lives and restoring security.

It nonetheless reiterated its opposition to the physical operation of foreign military forces on Nigerian soil.

“We must not allow our desperation today to compromise the sovereignty of our country in whatever form or guise,” ADC warned.

ADC also condemned the manner in which Nigerians were informed of the airstrike.

“When it comes to politics and propaganda, the president addresses the nation directly.

“Yet, when faced with an issue as sensitive, momentous, and consequential as a foreign military strike on Nigerian soil, the primary source of information was a social media post by the American President, while the only information coming from Nigeria was from a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“This reflects a frightening lack of awareness of the historic significance of this incident by the President of Nigeria,” the party noted.

According to the party, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes on terrorist locations in Sokoto State must not be allowed to substitute for a Nigeria-led action against its domestic security challenges.

It expressed concern that the Nigerian government might have merely played the role of an informant in an operation it should have led, instead of its much-advertised collaborative role.

“We also wonder why Nigeria has allowed the United States government to persist in framing the security situation in sectional religious terms if indeed the relationship is collaborative,” the party said.

It therefore demanded an explanation of the role of Nigeria and the terms of engagement in this collaboration.

“What level of operational control did Nigerian security forces exercise? How many terrorists were actually neutralised?

“If Nigeria possessed the intelligence that it could pass on to the United States to guide this operation, why was the country unable to lead the mission, despite the trillions of naira spent over the years on security?

“What special skills or technology did this operation require that Nigeria does not possess?

“What are the immediate outcomes of the strike, and how many more such strikes should we expect?” ADC further requested.

The party warned that there is a difference between strategic collaboration and “myopic surrender that is ultimately counter-productive to national security and inimical to the long-term sovereign interests of Nigeria.

“No one would believe that a single strike on one location can end a war of this nature.

“Therefore, what matters now is the direction the government intends to take going forward.

“But it must start by answering the critical questions that this attack has thrown up,” ADC said.