The African Democratic Congress has expressed deep concern over reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has distributed fleets of Hilux trucks, Land Cruisers, and Hummer buses to political agents across the country in what appears to be an early launch of his 2027 re-election campaign. The party described the development as insensitive, poorly timed, and dangerous, given Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, the ADC said the action confirms its fears that the President’s earlier declaration of a nationwide security emergency was merely symbolic and intended to attract headlines rather than signal a genuine shift in national priorities.

According to the party, Nigeria remains under severe strain as kidnapping, terrorism, and community-level violence continue to escalate. Entire communities have been displaced, hundreds of children remain in captivity, and citizens across multiple states live under constant threat. Despite these realities, the ADC said the Presidency appears more focused on political mobilisation than confronting the crisis at hand.

The statement noted that while ordinary citizens face daily threats to their safety, President Tinubu is reportedly distributing branded vehicles to political loyalists and fortifying structures aligned with his “Renewed Hope Ambassadors” initiative. The ADC described the move as tone-deaf and indicative of a leadership more concerned with its own continuity in office than with the suffering of Nigerians.

The party added that the President’s actions contradict the seriousness expected of any leader presiding over a nation under emergency rule. In moments of national crisis, the ADC observed, leaders are expected to demonstrate extraordinary restraint, direct all governmental machinery toward resolving the emergency, and reflect the gravity of the situation through disciplined conduct and prioritisation.

Instead, the party said the government has shown little evidence of heightened security measures or renewed urgency. Apart from the declaration itself, the ADC noted that Nigerians have seen no meaningful increase in boots on the ground, no strengthened intelligence operations, and no visible improvements in safety. “What we have is business as usual,” the statement read.

The party further described President Tinubu’s alleged early campaign activities as a worrying precedent. “He is not only the first elected Nigerian President to declare a nationwide emergency on security,” the ADC stated, “he now appears to be the first to begin a re-election campaign while the country remains under emergency rule.” According to the party, such conduct amounts to a dismissal of the sacrifices required in moments of national trauma.

The ADC also reminded the President that, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the timeline for campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections has not been opened. The party called the early distribution of campaign materials a violation of existing electoral regulations and urged INEC to intervene decisively to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

The statement concluded by urging President Tinubu to make a clear choice between governing responsibly under emergency conditions and acting as a candidate in campaign mode. “Leadership in times of crisis demands focus, sacrifice, and moral clarity,” the ADC said. “Lavish convoys and premature campaigns are not the answers to national insecurity. The President must return fully to the business of governance or admit that his political ambitions now stand in the way of Nigeria’s recovery.”