APC to Mark, ADC: Stop Daydreaming, Tinubu Will Defeat You

By Yinka Giwa
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed as a “political mirage” the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s claim that it will win the 2027 presidential election, describing the opposition party’s confidence as “a tragicomic display of self-deception.”

In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, said the ADC’s boast that “failure is not an option” in the 2027 general elections was laughable and betrayed the party’s lack of structure, followership, and political relevance. “For a party that has been practically invisible on Nigeria’s political radar, such a statement can only be described as a tragicomic display of self-deception,” Oladejo said. “The ADC’s declaration sounds more like a comedy skit than a political strategy. Nigerians can barely recall its existence, let alone its relevance.”

He added that the last time the ADC made any national impact was when “a few disenchanted politicians briefly used it as a temporary shelter before returning to their real homes,” insisting that “a party without structure, followership, or recognizable ideology has no business speaking about winning elections.” According to him, the ADC’s claim of 2027 victory is akin to a political mirage — “the closer they think they are to power, the farther it moves away.”

“If empty press statements and wishful thinking could win elections, perhaps the ADC would stand a chance,” Oladejo said. “Unfortunately, democracy rewards substance, not self-praise.” He maintained that there was nothing on the ground anywhere in the country to justify the ADC’s “self-deceit,” adding that a party in perpetual crisis over membership discipline and identity could not be taken seriously about national victory. Describing the ADC as “without question, the political joke of the coming national elections,” Oladejo said Nigerians were not in the mood for “comic relief masquerading as political aspiration.”

“Nigerians have seen the difference between a governing party with vision and competence, and a collection of directionless groups that only emerge during election seasons to trade in fantasies,” he declared. The APC spokesman highlighted the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration under the Renewed Hope Agenda, citing infrastructure expansion, economic stabilization, and renewed investor confidence as “tangible results that speak louder than opposition slogans.” He added that instead of making hollow proclamations about 2027, the ADC should confront the reality of its “perpetual irrelevance,” stressing that “a party that cannot win a polling unit should not delude itself about winning the presidency.”

The APC’s reaction followed remarks by the ADC National Chairman, David Mark, who had earlier said Nigerians were weary of political slogans and empty statistics that failed to improve their living conditions. Speaking at the party’s National Working Committee meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Mark said the ADC was founded on the conviction that Nigeria can work for everyone and would be guided by values rather than personalities. “What makes the ADC different is simple: we will be a party of purpose and determination, not impulses — an institution that champions democratic values and accountability,” he said.

Mark outlined four non-negotiable leadership standards — character, competence, courage, and discipline — as the pillars on which the ADC intends to build its identity. He said the party would be driven by internal democracy, transparency, and inclusivity, noting that the supremacy of the party’s constitution and institutions would override personal interests. The former Senate President announced a new “integrity and performance compact” anchored on open governance, merit-based appointments, clean elections, citizen-centered service delivery, and inclusion of women, youth, farmers, and persons with disabilities. He pledged that the ADC would uphold the separation of powers, strengthen legislative and judicial independence, and ensure budgets serve the public interest through transparent planning and auditing.

“We will focus on what works,” Mark said. “Nigerians are tired of slogans and statistics that do not translate into their welfare.”

But to the Lagos APC, such statements amount to little more than wishful thinking. The ruling party insists that results, not rhetoric, will define Nigeria’s political future — and that in the hard calculus of 2027, the ADC remains little more than a footnote in the nation’s unfolding political drama.