The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of running the most divisive government in the history of Nigeria.

The ADC stated that the Tinubu administration is riddled with nepotism in terms of appointments and the distribution of government projects.

The party, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that the Tinubu government’s infrastructure report not only reinforced existing suspicions about exclusionary governance but also exposed the administration’s alarming comfort with misleading the public through fake news.

The ADC alleged that the Tinubu administration was manipulating official infrastructure data in a desperate attempt to deflect growing criticism over allegations of nepotism and regional bias.

Naijaonpoint reports that the accusation comes as a reaction to a recent clarification from the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government that the current administration is carrying every region along in its appointments and infrastructure developments.

However, the ADC insisted that the Tinubu government only released manipulated evidence in a rushed attempt to defend itself.

The full statement read: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has observed with keen interest the Federal Government’s recent flurry of media engagements, particularly the hurried release of a glossy infrastructure document tagged “Infrastructure Equity for Every Region. Progress for Every Nigerian. The Renewed Hope Agenda in Action.”

“Ordinarily, we would have commended such an effort at transparency. However, the context and content of the report suggest that this was less a gesture of accountability and more a panicked propaganda attempt at damage control in the face of mounting criticism about the government’s nepotistic and exclusionary tendencies.

“It should be noted that this is the first time any government in Nigeria would be so hard-pressed to prove that it has actually given all parts of the country a sense of belonging. But the reason is clear: this is the most divisive government we have ever had, where government business is run like an exclusive membership club.

“Unfortunately for the administration, in a desperate attempt to defend its records, it ended up convicting itself with obviously manipulated evidence.

“For avoidance of doubt, the so-called infrastructure progress report, rather than exonerate the government, actually showcases the cronyism, sloppiness, and lack of equitable distribution of projects and spending that this APC government has become widely renowned for.

“Under the section purportedly dedicated to North-Western Nigeria, the government lists 12 projects, but upon closer scrutiny, at least four of those projects do not belong there.

“Take the Damaturu–Maiduguri road, for instance. This 110km road was listed under the North-West. Yet, Damaturu is the capital of Yobe State, and Maiduguri is the capital of Borno State — both in the North-East. Similarly, the Bama and Dikwa roads, also in Borno State, were mysteriously reclassified as North-Western projects.

“Then there is the Lokoja–Okene dualisation project. Lokoja is the capital of Kogi State, which, along with Okene, falls squarely within the North-Central zone. Yet, the government’s report would have us believe it is a North-Western initiative. The Benue–9th Mile road is another case in point. This was mislabeled under the North-West, despite Benue being in the North-Central.

“To make matters worse, some projects were listed twice — once under their actual regions and again under the North-West. We know that budgets have allegedly been padded by this administration, but this is the first time we have seen infographics padded with such brazen creativity.

“What is even more telling is that several of the projects the Tinubu government is celebrating were initiated under the Buhari administration, only to be repackaged and presented as fresh achievements.

“At this point, one thing is clear: the Presidential Media Team’s colourful, propaganda-filled infographics cannot mask the darker truths behind these projects. The processes surrounding them are opaque. Contracts are being awarded without adherence to the Procurement Act, and many have been handed over to known cronies, political financiers, and economic oligarchs.

“Even the public’s basic questions are met with silence. What, for example, is the cost of the Badagry–Sokoto Highway? Why are we not told how much has been spent, with whom the contracts were signed, or what procurement procedures were followed? Why are some projects lavishly funded while others, particularly those in opposition strongholds, are stalled indefinitely? Is this what democracy under the APC has become?

“This latest gaffe by the Presidency and the APC-led federal government fits a disturbing pattern. When the government was accused of nepotism in political appointments, it responded with a generic list of names from across the country, without portfolios or details — a move designed to obscure the truth rather than reveal it. Meanwhile, key appointments remain dominated by individuals from a certain political circle, a certain state, and ultimately, a certain region.

“This selective disclosure strategy has failed to convince critics. It has also embarrassed respected leaders in the South-West, who had hoped for a government of national inclusion and competence.

“At a time when our nation needs equity and unity more than ever, this government appears committed to deepening the fractures that divide us. The ADC believes that no amount of propaganda or PowerPoint presentations can substitute for genuine inclusion, fairness, and transparency.

“In this regard, the ADC demands that the Tinubu administration abandon the dishonest politics of propaganda it has become accustomed to. No amount of spin can substitute for justice — geographically, politically, or economically. A government like this one, that cannot be equitable and inclusive, will always continue to be a government at war with its own legitimacy.

“As a party founded on the ideals of inclusion and equity, the ADC remains committed to a Nigeria where no region, group, or individual feels left behind. The ADC government will be one where projects and opportunities are equitably distributed, and where competence is not sacrificed on the altar of cronyism.

“This is our promise.”