The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for exploiting the death of former President, Mohammad Buhari for political gains.
In a statement signed by the Party Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised the choreographed Federal Executive Council (FEC) tribute and publicised appearance of Buhari’s grieving son, Yusuf, as “a calculated PR stunt by an unpopular government.”
While describing it as a cynical and opportunistic attempt to exploit the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari for political gains, the Party said this is to distract Nigerians from the government’s deepening failures and to rewrite history in the nation mourning.
The ADC noted that this same administration had spent over a year blaming Buhari for the country’s economic troubles, only to now perform public grief in a bid to whitewash its battered image, especially in the North and among Buhari loyalists.
ADC recalled how the govt previously distanced itself from Buhari’s policies, especially on fuel subsidy, the economy, and public sector management, only to now attempt to cloak itself in the very legacy it once denounced.
“Grief is not a campaign strategy,” the party said, warning that the late President’s family should be left alone to mourn their father in peace rather than being dragged into political circus show. 
“Nigerians remember that since taking office, the Tinubu administration and its officials have launched a relentless campaign to disown their predecessor’s policies.
“They have blamed Buhari for everything , accused him of fiscal recklessness, and claimed to have inherited a broken economy—not from the opposition, but from their own party’s former leader. For months, the official stance of the Tinubu Presidency was that Nigeria’s hardship was Buhari’s fault.
“The message was clear: Buhari was the problem, Tinubu was the solution. But now that it suits their political agenda, they seek to recast themselves as defenders of the late President’s legacy, pretending to give him in death, the honour they denied him while he was alive”, the Party said.
It was recalled that this week, ADC had earlier warned the family of the late President of the Plan by government to make political gains from their father’s death. “What we witnessed at the Federal Executive Council this week was only a part of the larger plan that had only started to unfold”.
“The unfolding stage-managed displays of grief and the exploitation of a mourning son who was compelled to perform gratitude in front of the cameras is unconscionable and must be condemned by all decent people.
“Nevertheless, we are confident that Nigerians can see through their grand deceit. No public relations stunt can save a government that has behaved in the last two years like an army of occupation”, the Party concluded.
