The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of exploiting the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a political publicity stunt, aimed at diverting Nigerians' attention from his administration’s failures.

In a statement on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the Federal Executive Council (FEC) tribute held for Buhari as a “choreographed spectacle”, rather than a genuine show of respect.

President Tinubu, on Thursday, led a special FEC session at the State House, Abuja, in honour of the late Buhari, describing him as “a good, decent, and honourable man,” known for integrity, patriotism, and discipline.

However, the ADC condemned the tribute as hypocritical, noting that the same Tinubu-led government had repeatedly blamed Buhari for the current economic crisis and distanced itself from his policies.

“This government previously disowned Buhari’s stance on fuel subsidy, economic direction, and public sector reforms,” the statement read. “Yet now, they are attempting to cloak themselves in the very legacy they once condemned.”

The ADC further accused Tinubu of targeting Buhari's northern support base, claiming that the FEC tribute was a strategic PR move to realign with Buhari’s political footprint in the north.

The party also criticised the presence of Buhari’s son, Yusuf Buhari, at the FEC meeting, calling it an exploitation of a grieving family for optics.

“What kind of leadership exploits a mourning son just days after his father’s burial for political gain?” ADC queried. “That tribute, complete with a publicised appearance by the late President’s son, was not about honour—it was a stage-managed attempt to distract Nigerians from rising hardship and rewrite history in the government’s favour.”

The party recalled its previous warning to the Buhari family, alleging that the tribute session confirmed its suspicion that the government would attempt to leverage the former president’s death for political gain.

“Since taking office, the Tinubu administration has repeatedly blamed Buhari for Nigeria’s troubles—accusing him of fiscal recklessness and claiming to have inherited a broken economy, not from the opposition, but from their own party’s former leader,” the statement noted.

Concluding, the ADC urged Nigerians to stay vigilant and not be swayed by “photo ops and stage-managed grief.”

“We are confident that Nigerians can see through their grand deceit,” the party said. “No public relations stunt can save a government that has behaved in the last two years like an army of occupation.”