Friday, January 16, 2026 - The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has used the solemn
occasion of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day to honour Nigeria’s fallen
heroes while turning the spotlight sharply on what it described as a troubling
vacuum at the very top of national leadership.
As Nigerians paused to remember soldiers who paid the
ultimate price in defence of the country, the opposition party accused
President Bola Tinubu of failing to embody the symbolic and moral weight of the
day by being absent from the national observance.
According to the ADC, remembrance without the visible presence
of the commander-in-chief sends the wrong signal at a time when the nation’s
security challenges are deepening.
ADC, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja by its National
Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that Armed Forces
Remembrance Day is not a routine ceremonial date but a defining national moment
that demands leadership, empathy and accountability from the highest office in
the land.
The ADC maintained that as Nigerian troops remain stretched
across several theatres of conflict — from insurgency and banditry to violent
crime — the president’s physical and moral presence on such a day is an
essential demonstration of solidarity with serving personnel and the families
of fallen soldiers.
The party insisted that leadership in moments of national
sacrifice cannot be delegated, postponed or reduced to symbolism.
While paying tribute to fallen officers and acknowledging
the resilience of military families, the ADC stressed that honouring sacrifice
must translate into concrete action. It argued that wreath-laying and official
speeches ring hollow without a clear security strategy and the political will
to confront Nigeria’s persistent insecurity.
The party further contended that remembrance should compel
leaders to confront uncomfortable questions about governance, national
priorities and the cost borne daily by soldiers and civilians alike.
According to the ADC, the gulf between the sacrifices of the
armed forces and the quality of leadership they receive remains painfully wide.
The statement reads: “Today, the African Democratic Congress
(ADC) joins Nigerians, especially our military families, in commemorating the
2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, a day set aside to honour the courage,
sacrifice, and patriotism of the men and women who have laid down their lives
in defence of our nation.
“This is ordinarily a solemn national moment, one that demands
presence, reflection, and leadership at the highest level. It is therefore
deeply troubling that the President of the Federal Republic is absent and
unavailable on a day meant to symbolise solidarity with our armed forces and
the families who continue to bear the cost of Nigeria’s security failures.
“At a time when Nigerian soldiers are overstretched across
multiple fronts, battling insurgency, banditry, and violent crime, leadership
cannot be outsourced, postponed, or treated as ceremonial.
“The physical and moral presence of the commander-in-chief
on this day is not optional, it is a statement of respect, responsibility, and
shared sacrifice.
“The ADC honours the fallen, stands with serving personnel,
and recognises the quiet resilience of military families who continue to pay
the ultimate price for a nation that has yet to match their sacrifice with
competent governance, clear strategy, and genuine political will.
“Remembrance must go beyond wreaths and words. It must be
reflected in leadership that shows up, takes responsibility, and places the
lives of Nigerians above image management, foreign trips, or political convenience.”
The party concluded by urging Nigerians to reflect not only on the bravery of the armed forces but also on the kind of leadership required to justify such sacrifice, warning that without accountability and presence at the top, remembrance risks becoming an empty ritual rather than a call to national duty.
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