The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu's administration, attributing Nigeria's exclusion from high-level commercial talks hosted by the United States to what they describe as the president's economic missteps and diplomatic failures.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the party's Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed concern over the United States' decision to invite the Presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to the White House talks while bypassing Nigeria, Africa's largest economy.
According to the ADC, this exclusion reflects a significant decline in Nigeria's international standing under the current administration. The statement highlighted that the Biden administration's focus on partnering with nations that demonstrate "the ability and willingness to help themselves" serves as a stark indictment of Nigeria's deteriorating credibility under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
"Although we are Africa's largest economy with the biggest consumer market and most influential diaspora, the U.S. chose to engage countries whose combined GDP is a fraction of ours. This shows that in international relations, size means nothing without leadership, transparency, and efficiency," the ADC statement read.
The opposition party lamented that such a high-profile gathering without Nigeria's participation would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, suggesting that the country has lost its position as a regional and continental leader under the current administration.
BRICS Alignment Concerns
The ADC also raised concerns about Nigeria's participation in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), warning that this alignment has potentially exposed the country to punitive measures, including a looming 10% tariff threat by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
While not fundamentally opposing Nigeria's BRICS membership, the party argued that under the current leadership, Nigeria was "punching below its weight" in international relations.
The statement also questioned President Tinubu's foreign policy priorities, citing his prolonged visit to St. Lucia as an example of misplaced diplomatic focus. The ADC accused the administration of reducing Nigeria to "a backwater participant" in global diplomacy at a time when the country should be asserting its leadership on the world stage.
"Under the APC, Nigeria has not only lost opportunities for economic advancement but is now sidelined at critical global platforms where decisions that could transform economies are being made," the statement emphasized.
The ADC concluded by urging Nigerians to "reject the future the APC seeks to impose" and demand leadership that is both globally respected and economically competent.
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