Former Minister of Interior and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola, has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign over worsening insecurity and economic hardship in Nigeria.

The former Osun State Governor made the call while delivering a speech at the ongoing ADC National Convention in Abuja, where he also described President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda as a scam.

Aregbesola stated, “People who deliberately split the Peoples Democratic Party are today being falsely roped as political strategists..Since when has criminality become a strategy? The ADC does not, and we never owe its existence to any individual or group, including an electoral body masquerading as a neutral umpire with its leadership in the attire of political partisanship.

“The ADC derives its existence from the aspirations and the values of the Nigerian people, who are tired of the deceit and colossal mismanagement to which this country is being subjugated. We owe our existence to the Nigerian Constitution. We declare that freedom of association, including that to form or belong to any political party, is guaranteed and is a fundamental right.

“We are here because the ADC is on a rescue mission to reclaim the country from the strangulating grasp of the ruling party. The APC is a party which has foisted on the country an electoral law that stinks of forgery, and making false claims in electoral documents is no longer valid; in other words, the ruling party is criminalising criminality.

“We proclaim our existence because our country is worth the necessary sacrifices. We cannot allow khaki-socracy in Nigeria. The government claims that the recent reduction in exchange rates demonstrates its mastery of the economy. This is false. In truth, the exchange rate, which was about 700 naira to the dollar at the open market, not the official rate, when this government assumed office in 2023, is now about N1,400. This amounts to a 1,400 per cent devaluation in an import-dependent economy. This is terribly devastating. The cost of a litre of fuel before this administration was between 185 and 238 naira. Depending on the part of the country you are in, now it is about 1,400 per litre and still rising.”

Aregbesola expressed concern that transportation costs have risen so sharply that it is now impractical for some workers to commute to work.

He continued, “The administration told Nigerians that if it does not solve the power problem by providing a constant power supply, they should not be voted for a second time. Today, power supply is far worse, with some parts of the country receiving an average of two hours daily, and some other parts of the country also receiving an average of two hours daily. And some have been in darkness for stretches of weeks and months.

“Ordinarily, having made such a promise and fared woefully, an honest president should simply step down and not seek re-election. Rather, what we are witnessing is the most desperate attempt by a candidate in Nigerian electoral history to retain power at all costs, even if it means bringing down the entire democratic system.

“Distinguished delegates and our rival leaders, four years ago, this government promised Nigerians renewed hope for a better future. Now, three years into its four-year term, it still holds promise and offers renewed hope. When exactly will this hope come into fruition? The answer is simple. It is a scam. The answer is what? A scam! If allowed, this regime will continue shouting renewed hope to eternity. We have the duty to stop scammers from retaining power.”

The former Osun State Governor also condemned a series of violent attacks across the country that have led to significant loss of lives, describing the situation as a failure of President Tinubu’s administration.

He accused the government of worsening insecurity and alleged a lack of empathy in its response to national tragedies.

Aregbesola further criticised the state of education and the economy, claiming that the number of out-of-school children has risen from 18.3 million to nearly 20 million, while many Nigerians have been pushed into extreme poverty.

He continued, “Once again, distinguished delegates, the country is drifting, and we cannot allow this continued drift into hopelessness. This is why, as I pointed out earlier, the ADC is on a rescue mission.

“On this, there is no time to spare. We call on all conscientious citizens to join us, because a fence-sitter in movements like this that require decisiveness is either a traitor or a collaborator with those who seek to destroy our country.”

PUNCH Online reported exclusively on Monday that the ADC is expecting more than 300 delegates at its national convention.

Key issues scheduled for consideration include the affirmation of the National Working Committee led by David Mark, Aregbesola and others, as well as the adoption of a revised party constitution and manifesto.

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has explained how repeated last-minute cancellations disrupted its efforts to secure venues for its national convention.

Speaking on ARISE News on Tuesday, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-committee for the ADC convention, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party encountered multiple setbacks while trying to finalise a venue.

“What the ADC has passed through in the last few days, irrespective of venue, is shameful. I just have to put it. Very shameful,” he said.

The chieftain recounted a specific incident where a venue was withdrawn at short notice during an inspection.

“When we got to the event centre, they made another call. They said, Oh, sorry, they had an event that they will be holding, and they needed two days to plan for that event, and this one that we’re asking for fell within those two days,” he said.

According to him, the pattern of cancellations reflected what he described as pressure from those in power.

“People who sit in government, people who have 36 governors, pro-city ministers, people who have all the money in this world, are so panicky,” he said.

The latest incident, he added, involved the Rainbow Events Center, where the party finally settled to hold its convention.

He alleged that the venue’s management withdrew permission under external pressure.

“Shortly before midnight last night, we got reports that the owner of the Rainbow Events Center came out to tell the leadership… that he has been instructed to withdraw the permission, and he doesn’t want to lose his only means of earning,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Ologbondiyan said the party remained determined to proceed with the convention.

“If this order… is enforced, and ADC is denied the right to use the Rainbow Events Center, then we can as well go on the streets and condone the convention there, because the convention belongs to the party.”

He maintained that the party had fulfilled all contractual obligations for the venue.

“Having fulfilled all contractual engagements, including payments for the use of the venue, there’s no way we can withdraw… if those who are saying that we have to leave… they should come by themselves,” he said.

Ologbondiyan also dismissed concerns about the legality of the convention, insisting that the party had complied with electoral requirements.

“The expectation of the law… is that our duty stops when we issue the 21-day notice to INEC. We have done that.

“We have issued INEC the required 21-day notice… and we’ll have our convention today.”

He added that there was no legal impediment to the exercise.

“There’s no order anywhere stopping the convention. There’s no order anyway, asking that the party must not hold its convention.”

On internal disagreements within the party, including disputes arising from state congresses, he said such issues were part of normal party politics.

He, however, downplayed the impact of the disputes on the party’s cohesion.

“All these things that are happening now, there are not too much of worries in ADC.”

Looking ahead, he said questions around leadership and presidential ambition remain open, with the party yet to decide on its mode of candidate selection.

He said the immediate priority was to strengthen the opposition platform.

“What is important now is that this will allow the opposition party to build themselves… before they bring in the argument of who’s going to be the presidential candidate.”

Despite the tensions surrounding the convention, Ologbondiyan reiterated the party’s resolve, saying, “We are going ahead with the convention. ADC is the political party.”

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The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22 for the hearing of appeals arising from the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The appeals were filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, challenging earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal delivered on March 9.

A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed the date on Tuesday after granting an application for accelerated hearing.

The court also abridged the time within which parties are to file their briefs, directing respondents to file their responses within five days, while the appellants were given two days to file any reply.

The appeals stem from decisions of the appellate court, which affirmed earlier rulings of the Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the PDP from conducting its planned national convention pending compliance with statutory provisions, including the Electoral Act and party regulations.

The Federal High Court judgments, delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, followed suits instituted by aggrieved party members, including former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, several political stakeholders were present in court, including Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, alongside Turaki and other party figures.