ADC Newsroom | July 31, 2025

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned the recent comment by Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, the newly appointed National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), declaring that there would be “no vacancy in Aso Rock” come 2027.

In a press statement released Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the remark as presumptuous, arrogant, and disrespectful to the Nigerian people. According to the opposition party, the comment reveals a disturbing mindset that undermines democratic principles and the right of citizens to decide who governs them. The ADC reminded the APC that the Presidency of Nigeria is not a family inheritance, but a position that must be earned and renewed based on performance and public trust.

Mallam Abdullahi stated that “The APC Chairman’s recent declaration of ‘no vacancy in Aso Rock’ is presumptuous and disrespectful of Nigerian people, who are tired of hunger, insecurity, joblessness, and unfulfilled promises. Nigerians cannot wait to reclaim their future at the ballot box.” He added that such a sweeping declaration two years ahead of the general election sends a dangerous message, suggesting that citizens’ votes may not count and that power is predetermined.

The ADC emphasized that regardless of APC’s confidence or internal projections, the Nigerian people will decide in 2027. The ruling party, and by extension President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must return to the people and explain why they deserve to continue in office. The opposition party argued that it is not enough to hold office; that office must be justified by real achievements. In the ADC’s words, “There will be a vacancy in 2027. President Tinubu must reapply to the Nigerian people, and he must show Nigerians why they should allow him to continue on the job, despite his ruinous policies that have made life miserable for the majority.”

According to the ADC, the upcoming general election will be a referendum on APC’s performance. Nigerian voters will assess the administration based on key indicators such as youth employment, hunger and poverty levels, security of lives and property, electricity supply, and equitable justice. No amount of propaganda, the party warned, can erase the harsh reality faced by ordinary Nigerians or cover up a failing report card.

The statement also criticized the APC’s self-congratulatory narrative, pointing out that while government spokespersons and party loyalists continue to celebrate supposed achievements, ordinary Nigerians are bearing the brunt of skyrocketing food prices, worsening insecurity, and an ever-weakening currency. “The price of food has continued to rise beyond the reach of the majority of Nigerians. An ever-increasing number of our communities are being taken over by bandits. Our Naira remains battered and broken,” the ADC stated. “This is why declaring ‘no vacancy’ two years before an election is to spit in the face of every Nigerian that matters.”

The ADC further stressed that the comment mocked the struggles of countless citizens; parents unable to feed their children, graduates still in search of meaningful employment, and entrepreneurs whose businesses have collapsed due to unstable economic policies. The party described it as a form of gaslighting, a dismissal of the suffering of millions.

Mallam Abdullahi concluded by reaffirming the ADC’s commitment to democratic accountability and the right of Nigerians to determine their leaders. He cautioned the ruling party against making statements that insult the intelligence and dignity of the electorate. “Let it be known,” he said, “the APC will have to reapply for the job of leading those who still believe in their democratic power. It is to say: your vote does matter in 2027. And they do not get to mark their own papers.”.