The dust is far from settling over the reactions trailing former President Muhammadu Buhari’s death. This time, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, has come out swinging—calling the African Democratic Congress (ADC) “utterly shameless” for accusing the presidency of using Buhari’s death for political gain.
Dare, in a statement on Saturday, didn’t mince words. He described the ADC’s comments as an “insult to millions of Nigerians” who genuinely mourned Buhari, emphasizing that it was the ADC that was using the late president’s death to stir political waters—not the presidency.
Let’s backtrack a little. On Friday, the ADC accused Tinubu’s government of trying to whitewash its battered image by organizing what they called a “political theatre”—referring to the special Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held in Buhari’s honour. The party painted the event as a PR stunt, not a sincere tribute.
Dare’s response was fiery and blunt. He said what the ADC was doing was “dancing on Buhari’s grave for relevance” and trying to hijack a solemn national moment to make political noise. He even dragged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-governor Nasir El-Rufai into the mix, describing their arrival in Daura as “choreographed” and driven by political motives—not grief.
“For clarity,” Dare wrote, “President Tinubu’s administration is neither desperate nor searching for cheap popularity. This government would rather allow its growing list of achievements to speak louder than the noisy irrelevance of groups like the ADC.”
He also defended the late president’s funeral proceedings, calling them dignified and befitting of a statesman. According to Dare, the turnout—from world leaders to ordinary Nigerians glued to their screens—was a testament to Buhari’s impact, not a ploy for political applause.
Then came the real sting: Dare accused ADC members of “prancing about the Buhari family compound like eager real estate agents scouting new territory.” For him, this wasn’t just political opportunism—it was hypocrisy of the highest order.
In closing, Dare urged Nigerians to tune out “the political noise” and focus on the nation’s progress. “The ADC,” he said, “is simply gasping for attention.”
One thing is clear—the battle over Buhari’s legacy has already become a political battlefield. And from the tone of Dare’s statement, the Tinubu camp isn’t backing down anytime soon.
