The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has criticised Senator Abdulaziz Yari, the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, over his reported remarks on Nigeria’s security challenges.
The ADC-PCC said Yari’s comments showed that the ruling party had struggled to find solutions to the country’s worsening insecurity.
The council was reacting to Yari’s reported statement: “If Buhari, who is a retired military man, could not wipe out insecurity, what can Tinubu do?”
In a statement, the ADC-PCC described the comment as a serious admission from a senior APC figure responsible for promoting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
It questioned why the APC was seeking another presidential term when, according to the council, the government had failed to adequately protect lives and property.
“For a party that has been in power for nearly 12 years, this is a shocking admission of failure. Rather than inspire confidence in Nigerians, the statement from the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council reinforces the growing perception that the ruling party has run out of ideas and has no credible answers to the nation’s security challenges,” the statement said.
The council said Nigerians continued to face banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and killings despite years of government promises to tackle insecurity.
It added that many communities remained exposed to attacks, leaving families worried about their safety and livelihoods.
The ADC-PCC argued that Yari’s reported remarks suggested that even the ruling party’s campaign leadership doubted Tinubu’s ability to address the problem.
“Now, the APC’s own campaign chief appears to be asking Nigerians to accept that if a former military Head of State could not defeat insecurity, there is little President Tinubu can do. This is not the language of a party offering hope; it is an expression of helplessness from a party seeking another mandate.”
The council also questioned the justification for asking Nigerians to give the APC another four years in office, particularly amid concerns over security and economic hardship.
“How can the APC ask Nigerians to renew its mandate when its own campaign leadership is raising doubts about the capacity of its presidential candidate to tackle insecurity? Why should Nigerians entrust their future to a party whose leading campaign figures appear unable to defend its record or inspire confidence in its capacity to deliver?” it asked.
According to the ADC-PCC, Nigeria needs leaders who accept responsibility, develop practical solutions and demonstrate the determination to protect citizens rather than offer explanations for persistent security problems.
The council presented its presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, as an alternative, saying he had the experience and plans needed to address insecurity, revive the economy and promote national unity.
It said Atiku’s proposed security measures included strengthening security agencies, investing in modern policing, using technology and intelligence to combat crime, and creating employment opportunities for young people.
The ADC-PCC maintained that tackling insecurity required effective coordination among security agencies, adequate equipment, better intelligence gathering and sustained investment in the welfare and capacity of security personnel.
It urged Nigerians to consider Yari’s reported comments when assessing the APC’s record ahead of the next presidential election.
“Senator Yari’s statement has reinforced the very question Nigerians must ask before the next presidential election: if the APC cannot confidently explain how its candidate will secure the country, why should Nigerians entrust it with another four years?”
The council said the choice facing Nigerians was between retaining the APC-led government and supporting another political option that it claimed was committed to improving security and restoring public confidence.