By Comrade Chika Idoko
Reno Omokri’s recent attempt to portray the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a sympathiser of terrorism is not only misleading; it is intellectually lazy and morally hollow. It is an accusation driven more by political expediency than by facts, conscience, or reasoned argument.
Let this be stated clearly and without ambiguity: the ADC condemns terrorism in all its forms, from all sources, and against all innocent Nigerians. That position is firm and non-negotiable. What the ADC refuses to do, however, is applaud failure, romanticise incompetence, or endorse the quiet outsourcing of Nigeria’s sovereignty under the pretext of security cooperation.
Mr. Omokri’s outburst is not an act of patriotism. It is a diversionary tactic designed to shield the APC-led administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from its well-documented and persistent security failures. When accountability becomes inconvenient, name-calling often becomes the last refuge of those defending incompetence.
For nearly a decade, Nigerians have buried their dead across states and regions. Entire communities have been wiped out, schoolchildren abducted, farmers slaughtered, and highways turned into killing fields. Throughout these years of bloodshed, the APC has been firmly in charge of the federal government.
Terrorists did not overrun Nigeria under ADC leadership. Bandits did not dominate forests and highways under ADC governance. Nigerians were not abandoned to non-state actors under ADC rule. This national tragedy unfolded under the watch of the APC, the same party that now seeks applause for foreign involvement after exhausting constitutional powers, commanding massive security budgets, and exercising full control of the nation’s security architecture, yet failing repeatedly to protect lives and property.
The ADC’s position is neither radical nor reckless; it is principled. National security must not be reduced to press releases, emotional blackmail, or propaganda. When a government fails domestically and then turns to foreign intervention without transparency, legislative oversight, or clearly defined rules of engagement, citizens have both the right and the duty to ask questions.
Questioning process is not supporting terrorism. Demanding accountability is not protecting criminals. Defending sovereignty is not treason.
What is truly disgraceful is a government that cannot secure its people yet demands silence, fails at intelligence yet boasts of isolated strikes, presides over widespread bloodshed yet attacks the opposition for raising legitimate concerns.
Mr. Omokri should also address another pressing issue if he genuinely cares about Nigerians. He should explain why the Tinubu administration smuggled through punitive and unpopular tax laws that further burden citizens already struggling under severe economic hardship. Nigerians deserve to know why these laws were railroaded without broad consultation, compassion, or credibility.
Unlike the APC, which governs through propaganda and recycled blame, the ADC believes in people-centred security reforms, intelligence-led policing, community-based protection, and a Nigeria that does not beg for safety after mortgaging competence.
Mr. Omokri and those he speaks for should understand a simple truth: propaganda cannot manufacture legitimacy from failure, nor can it turn hardship into success. The ADC will continue to hold President Tinubu and a compliant legislature accountable, particularly as they pursue policies that appear designed to punish, rather than protect, Nigerians.
Mr. Omokri may find temporary comfort in attacking the ADC to curry favour with those in power, but history does not reward sycophancy. Nigerians know who failed them. They know who spoke when it mattered, and who only found their voice when it became politically convenient.
The ADC does not protect terrorists. The ADC stands for Nigeria. And it will not apologise for holding a failing government accountable, no matter how loudly its defenders protest.
Comrade Chika Idoko
Special Adviser on Press and Media Relations
Office of the National Youth Leader
African Democratic Congress (ADC)
