Tinubu’s Aide Fires Back: ADC Exploiting Buhari’s Death for Cheap Publicity

Tensions have escalated following accusations that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is leveraging the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari for political relevance. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, issued a scathing response to claims by the ADC that the current administration is using Buhari’s burial rites to polish its public image.

Dare dismissed the allegations as “shameless” and “obnoxious,” accusing ADC leaders of desecrating the memory of the late president in a bid to grab attention.

In a strongly worded statement, Dare criticized the actions of prominent opposition figures, stating that the much-publicized presence of Atiku Abubakar and Nasir El-Rufai in Daura was not coincidental but rather a choreographed act designed to exploit the solemn event. “From Atiku and El-Rufai’s choreographed arrival in Daura — greeted with chants seeking to make political capital from the solemnity of the moment — to this disgraceful press statement, the ADC has shown itself to be utterly shameless,” he said.

He emphasized that the burial of President Buhari was executed with the highest dignity and honour befitting a former head of state.
Dare highlighted the presence of global dignitaries and the millions of Nigerians who paid their respects virtually and physically, underscoring the late leader’s national significance. He further criticized ADC supporters, describing their conduct in Daura as opportunistic, likening their behavior to that of “eager real estate agents scouting new territory.”

The presidency insists that the Tinubu administration played no role in politicizing the funeral, and instead, it was the ADC and its allies that attempted to hijack the moment for self-serving publicity. ACCORDING TO IREPORTER ONLINE, this latest clash adds to the growing tensions between opposition parties and the federal government over the legacy of the late president and the political narratives being woven in the wake of his passing.