ADC Slams Tinubu’s Appointment of IBB’s Son as “Too Little, Too Late” to Win Over North

By Emmanuel Kwada

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent appointment of a son of former military leader Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) to a key position, labeling it a “desperate and cynical” attempt to curry favor with Northern Nigeria. In a strongly worded press statement released today, the ADC described the move as “too little, too late” to address the region’s grievances after over two years of alleged marginalization by the Tinubu administration.

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‎Signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the statement accused the President of neglecting Northern Nigeria for over 25 months, only to resort to “token appointments” in a bid to quell rising discontent.

The ADC pointed to the administration’s handling of critical issues, such as the unchecked banditry devastating northern villages, the abandonment of farmers, and the collapse of rural economies following the poorly executed fuel subsidy removal, as evidence of systemic neglect.

‎“For over a year, this government turned a blind eye as bandits terrorized villages in the North, as our farmers abandoned their land, and as rural economies crumbled,” Abdullahi said.

For over a year, this government turned a blind eye as bandits terrorized villages in the North, as our farmers abandoned their land, and as rural economies crumbled

“Now, under the rising heat of public discontent and with the emergence of a formidable opposition coalition gaining traction in the North and across the country, President Tinubu suddenly remembers that there are Nigerians to appoint into positions outside his Lagos.”

‎The ADC dismissed the appointments as “political panic management,” arguing that they are a superficial attempt to bandage the “gaping wounds” inflicted on the North through “calculated neglect, presidential arrogance, and unprecedented nepotism.”

The party emphasized that Northerners, as “co-owners of our great federal republic,” see through what it described as insincere gestures. “Tokenism is not inclusion, and symbolism is not governance,” Abdullahi stated.

‎Tokenism is not inclusion, and symbolism is not governance

‎The statement further criticized the Tinubu administration for excluding the North from major policy decisions, including the fuel subsidy removal and the majority of political appointments, which the ADC claimed have disproportionately favored other regions, particularly Lagos.

The party argued that the recent appointments, including that of IBB’s son, are mere “consolation prizes” meant to distract from the administration’s failures rather than a genuine commitment to national unity.

‎Urging the President to abandon “Bourdillon-style appeasement politics,” the ADC called for true national inclusion through meaningful consultation, policy equity, and adherence to the principles of federal character. “You cannot patch a broken roof with press releases and photo-ops,” Abdullahi said. “And you certainly cannot restore the trust that you have lost with the public by pretending that titles are a substitute for genuine commitment to nation-building.”

You cannot patch a broken roof with press releases and photo-ops

‎The ADC’s statement has sparked reactions on social media platforms like X, where many Nigerians are debating the implications of Tinubu’s appointments and the broader issue of regional representation in governance. As public discontent grows, particularly in the North, the administration faces increasing pressure to address these criticisms with substantive policy changes rather than symbolic gestures.

‎The Presidency has yet to respond to the ADC’s allegations, but the controversy is likely to fuel further discussions about inclusivity and governance in Nigeria’s complex political landscape.

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