Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Tope Ajayi, has criticised leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over their internal party crisis, dismissing their attacks on the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN).
In posts on his verified X account (@TheTope_Ajayi), Ajayi rejected calls by ADC leaders for Amupitan’s resignation, describing the INEC chairman as highly qualified and well-versed in law and court rulings. He stated that it was misguided for opposition figures, including David Mark, Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, and Bolaji Abdullahi, to question Amupitan’s legal competence.
Ajayi emphasised that Amupitan, as a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has the expertise to interpret legal principles accurately. “Senator David Mark, Mr. Peter Obi, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi certainly can’t teach him what that Latin legal maxim means,” he added.
The presidential aide described attempts by ADC leaders to blame INEC, the Federal Government, and the ruling APC as “bad politics,” attributing the party’s crisis to poor internal management and lack of due diligence.
“You bought a SPV without paying attention to the Caveat Emptor! There is a way I look at people who don’t take personal responsibility for their own error and poor judgment,” Ajayi stated, stressing that the ADC’s legal disputes were self-inflicted. He clarified that neither President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nor the APC was responsible for the party’s internal problems.
Ajayi concluded that the ADC’s leadership failed to manage internal issues effectively and is now blaming external actors, including INEC, the presidency, and the APC, for its challenges.
