The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has accused Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of diverting attention from the failures of President Bola Tinubu’s administration by repeatedly criticising the ADC and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The council said Kwankwaso’s response to its earlier statement had raised fresh questions about his political position and alleged links with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Kwankwaso is the vice-presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose presidential candidate is Peter Obi.

The ADC-PCC had earlier urged the former Kano State governor to stop attacking Atiku and instead hold the Tinubu-led government accountable for the country’s economic and security challenges.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Kwankwaso’s response failed to address the key issues raised by the opposition campaign organisation.

According to the council, Kwankwaso briefly mentioned the APC in his defence but devoted much of his response to criticising the ADC, prompting questions about his priorities as an opposition politician.

“Why is Senator Kwankwaso making our candidate the issue instead of confronting the ruling APC, whose policies have made life increasingly difficult for millions of Nigerians?” the council asked.

The ADC-PCC argued that Nigerians were more concerned about hunger, insecurity, rising fuel prices, the falling value of the naira and the growing cost of living than exchanges between opposition politicians.

It maintained that any politician seeking to provide an alternative to the current administration should focus on addressing these problems rather than attacking other opposition figures.

The council also questioned why Kwankwaso appeared more willing to criticise Atiku and the ADC than challenge the ruling party over the difficulties facing the country.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the ADC cannot and will not be distracted by Senator Kwankwaso,” the council declared.

The campaign council described the ADC as a growing political platform that was gaining acceptance among Nigerians. It said the party remained committed to mobilising citizens and offering an alternative to what it called the failures of APC governance.

It further challenged Kwankwaso to stop attacking the ADC in what it described as an attempt to gain political favour with the ruling party.

The council urged the NDC vice-presidential candidate to openly align himself with the APC if he shared its political agenda, rather than continuing to direct his criticism at the ADC.

The ADC-PCC said it would remain united and focused on its preparations for the 2027 general election, insisting that its priority was to present Nigerians with a credible alternative to the Tinubu administration.

Kwankwaso diverting attention from failures of President Bola Tinubu’s administration – ADC