According to the ADC, “This is ordinarily a solemn national moment, one that demands presence, reflection, and leadership at the highest level.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu for failing to attend Nigeria’s 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony, describing his absence as a troubling display of weak leadership at a solemn national moment.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the annual event was meant to honour the courage and sacrifice of fallen soldiers and to demonstrate solidarity with serving personnel and their families.
“Today, the African Democratic Congress 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,” the statement read.
The ADC noted that the occasion required “presence, reflection, and leadership at the highest level,” adding that it was “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.”
The opposition party argued that with Nigerian troops engaged on multiple fronts against insurgency, banditry and violent crime, the Commander-in-Chief’s physical presence was a moral obligation rather than a ceremonial option.
According to the ADC, “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 ADC noted that leadership could not 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 party said.
The ADC accused the administration of reducing remembrance activities to mere symbolism, saying genuine honour for the fallen must be reflected in accountable governance and commitment to the welfare of troops.
“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 said.
The party paid tribute to deceased soldiers and acknowledged the hardships faced by their families, urging the government to match their sacrifices with “competent governance, clear strategy, and genuine political will.”
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