President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of attempting to “privatise” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid its leadership crisis.
Tinubu made the remarks on Thursday while hosting a delegation of Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House in Abuja, linking the party’s internal disputes to what he described as Atiku’s political approach.
“The head [Atiku] was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria. He privatised the steel industry in Delta; is it working today? No. He privatised Ajaokuta. Is it working today? No, I can go on to list,” the president said.
“They privatise another man’s political party, but the man (owner) said no,” he added.
The comments come amid a prolonged leadership tussle within the ADC, which has intensified since an opposition coalition took control of the party’s structure in July 2025.
The party is now split into factions, including those led by former Senate President David Mark, former deputy national chairman Nafiu Bala and Ogga Kingsley.
Bala has alleged that the leadership under Mark was not properly constituted, arguing that he is the constitutionally mandated successor to former chairman Ralph Nwosu.
On April 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission withdrew recognition of both the Mark-led faction and Bala’s group following an interim ruling by the Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22 to hear an appeal filed by Mark over the party’s leadership crisis.
