By Opeyemi Adelakun
The African Democratic Congress has challenged the Federal Government to explain the status of corruption-related cases involving former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, and former Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund chairman, Ngozi Olejeme, following their inclusion in President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.
The ADC made the demand in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, in which it criticised the composition of the campaign council and accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of providing political rehabilitation for individuals facing unresolved questions over public accountability.
The opposition party specifically cited Edu, who was suspended by Tinubu following controversy over an alleged attempt to transfer N585 million into a private account.
It also referred to Olejeme, who has faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged financial misconduct.
The ADC said the inclusion of the two former officials had raised questions about whether the cases against them had been resolved before their appointment to the campaign structure.
“If they have been cleared, the government should show how and when and by whom they were cleared,” the party said.
The opposition party alleged that investigations into financial crimes could sometimes lose momentum before individuals previously accused of wrongdoing return to public or political roles.
However, the allegations by the ADC do not in themselves establish guilt, and the party called for clarification rather than presenting the accusations as proven facts.
ADC targets APC’s campaign strategy
The party also argued that the 2027 election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess Tinubu’s performance since assuming office.
It said the APC campaign council would not be able to use political mobilisation to erase the effects of economic hardship, rising living costs and poverty.
According to the ADC, the central issue for voters would be the administration’s record and its impact on Nigerians’ daily lives.
“The campaign council would not be able to campaign away the cost of living crisis or the endemic poverty that bad policies have created,” the party said.
Opposition renews fuel subsidy proposal
The ADC also restated its proposal for a targeted intervention to reduce the impact of fuel prices on Nigerians.
It said any subsidy arrangement it supports would be capped, budgeted and independently audited to ensure transparency and prevent diversion.
The party insisted that every naira involved should be traceable and every barrel of crude covered by the scheme properly accounted for.
It accused the Federal Government of rejecting assistance for struggling households while allegedly tolerating wasteful public expenditure.
The ADC therefore challenged Tinubu to account for the financial and social cost of policies it said had intensified economic pressure on Nigerians.
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