President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are unfazed by claims from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) questioning Tinubu's eligibility to contest future elections, according to APC national secretary Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru. Speaking in Abuja, Basiru dismissed the ADC's position as a contraption with no legal or factual basis, asserting that the ruling party sees no merit in the opposition's argument. He maintained that President Tinubu's tenure and eligibility fall squarely within constitutional parameters, and that the APC is focused on governance rather than engaging in what it views as baseless political theatrics. The ADC had recently raised concerns over Tinubu's eligibility for a second term, citing unspecified constitutional breaches, though no formal petition or legal action has been made public. In response, Basiru urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider deregistering the ADC, arguing that parties promoting what he called frivolous narratives undermine electoral integrity. He emphasized that the APC welcomes legitimate political competition but rejects attempts to manufacture crises where none exist. No timeline was given for any potential action by INEC, and the commission has not publicly responded to the APC's request. Legal experts have noted that any challenge to a sitting president's eligibility would require substantial evidence and due process under Nigeria's electoral legal framework.
When Ajibola calls the ADC's stance a "contraption," he is not merely rejecting opposition criticism—he is framing it as a deliberate fabrication meant to destabilize. That move shifts the narrative from debate over constitutional interpretation to one of political legitimacy, implying that even questioning Tinubu's eligibility is beyond the pale. In doing so, the APC signals it will treat legal challenges as political threats, not constitutional discourse. This sets a precedent where dissent risks being labeled illegitimate, not just incorrect.
