Bolaji Abdullahi, who previously served as Minister of Sports and now acts as interim spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming the ruling party has failed Nigerians and that hope has turned to despair.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme on Wednesday, Mr Abdullahi argued that the opposition coalition had chosen the ADC to provide Nigerian voters with a genuine alternative to the current government.

The former minister was particularly critical of President Tinubu’s “renewed hope” campaign promise, suggesting it had completely backfired.

“In two years, hope has become hopelessness. You know? I mean, look at the parameters. Look at the parameters,” Abdullahi said.

He pointed to widespread violence and government inaction as evidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had let down the Nigerian people.

“People are dying every day in this country — people are leaving their homes and being shot. And the government is doing nothing, acting like it is Christmas.”

According to Mr Abdullahi, the current state of the country—marked by economic hardship, rising insecurity, and a breakdown in government accountability—proves that the APC has failed in its duties.

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The ADC spokesperson emphasised that the opposition coalition wasn’t simply seeking power for its own sake. Instead, he said they were focused on creating a political party built on principles of discipline, fairness, and democratic decision-making.

“We say we want to try to give Nigeria, one, an alternative. God forbid we arrive at 2027 and there’s no alternative. That is one,” he said.

“Maybe you want to be cynical and say we’re trying to atone. That’s fine.

“But what we are doing is to create a party where everyone is equal, where the members are supreme.”

Mr Abdullahi described the ADC as a way to build a party based on strong values that would survive beyond its current leadership and prove lasting.

Mr Abdullahi also addressed criticism from within his own party. Dumebi Kachikwu, who ran as the ADC’s presidential candidate in the past, had accused the coalition of joining the party “through the back door” and predicted they would soon leave.

Mr Abdullahi suggested that Mr Kachikwu’s comments came from feeling left out rather than any genuine disagreement about political direction.

He questioned Mr Kachikwu’s political importance, saying he had found little evidence of meaningful achievements when researching him online.

“I tried to Google him and couldn’t find anything beyond the fact that he once ran for office,” he said.

“I’m only six months older than him, yet he’s positioning himself as a youth voice.”

Mr Abdullahi defended the coalition’s membership, saying it was made up of professionals and respected Nigerians with proven track records in public service.

He rejected suggestions that Nigeria needed to look outside the existing political class for new leadership, arguing that the solution lay in reforming the current system rather than abandoning it entirely.

“Politics is played by politicians, not by farmers or bankers. If those in the past failed, do we go to Ghana or South Africa to import politicians?” he asked.

Mr Abdullahi argued that the real problem wasn’t politics itself, but the lack of systems to hold politicians accountable. He said the ADC under the coalition was being restructured to address this imbalance.

“Our handshake logo represents agreement, mutual respect. We are building a party where rules matter and everyone plays by them,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, David Mark, who serves as the ADC’s interim national chairman, said the coalition of opposition political parties would prevent Nigeria from becoming a one-party state.