…Blasts S’Chiefs over ‘soft’ terror rhetoric
Fresh political and security debates have engulfed the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as party stakeholders project a decisive presidential primary victory for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while the party leadership simultaneously takes a hard stance against controversial remarks by top security officials.
Convener of the League of Northern Democrats, Umar Arɗo, has predicted that Atiku Abubakar would overwhelmingly win the ADC presidential primaries if all aspirants contest.
Speaking during a television programme on Friday, Ardo dismissed the likelihood of a consensus arrangement among leading contenders, noting that such a move would require major figures like Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi to step aside.
According to him, while Obi might personally consider stepping down, his ‘Obedient Movement’ would resist the idea, and Atiku himself is unlikely to withdraw despite having a support base that could permit such a decision. Arɗo was emphatic that in a free and competitive primary – whether conducted through delegates or direct voting – Atiku would emerge victorious. “Atiku will 100 percent win the primaries even if they do it 100 times”, he declared.
Meanwhile, the ADC has launched a scathing critique of Nigeria’s top security leadership over remarks perceived as sympathetic toward repentant terrorists.
The party condemned comments attributed to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribaɗu, and the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, who were seen in a viral video referring to surrendered terrorists in familial terms such as “brothers” and “sons”.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the rhetoric as “dangerous” and indicative of a mindset that risks normalising criminality. “First, the NSA referred to terrorists as his brothers. Now, the Chief of Army Staff is referring to terrorists as sons. These rhetorics reflect a dangerous mindset that accommodates and tolerates criminality instead of confronting it”, the statement read.
While some have argued that such language is intended to encourage deradicalisation and reintegration of repentant fighters, the ADC warned that it blurs critical moral and legal boundaries in the fight against insecurity.
The party insisted that under an ADC-led government, there would be zero tolerance for ambiguity in dealing with violent actors, pledging to establish special terrorism courts to ensure swift prosecution of bandits, kidnappers, and insurgents.
