Abdullahi, who served as Minister of Youth Development and Sports under former President Goodluck Jonathan, made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
His comments come amid growing political discourse about leadership dynamics and candidate selection processes within major political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reflecting on the APC convention, Abdullahi described the atmosphere as one marked by self-congratulation rather than critical reflection.
“Well, I mean, it’s quite interesting, I mean, listening and watching the APC convention and listening to the president,” he said, suggesting that the tone of the event was largely celebratory despite ongoing national challenges.
He further remarked that the ruling party appeared to be focused on praising its own achievements without sufficient internal competition or dissent.
According to him, “they naturally expect the APC to continue to celebrate their convention in superlative terms and continue to award themselves medals even though they are competing against themselves.”
Addressing the issue of internal party dynamics, Abdullahi alleged that dissenting voices are largely absent within the APC due to the influence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He claimed that decision-making within the party is highly centralized, stating, “You shouldn’t expect any dissent because you have President Bola Tinubu who decides who gets what within the party.”
One of the most striking aspects of Abdullahi’s remarks centered on what he described as a troubling development involving members of the National Assembly.
He recounted, “I listened to the House of Representatives speaker begging President Bola Tinubu to allow them to come back,” a statement that he said left him concerned about the independence of elected lawmakers.
Expressing his reaction, Abdullahi said he felt sympathy for the legislators, interpreting the situation as an indication of a broader issue within the political system.
“I mean, and I felt sorry for them. That’s like seeking automatic tickets for parliamentarians. For parliamentarians,” he added, emphasizing what he sees as a departure from democratic norms.
According to the ADC spokesperson, such practices could undermine the principle of representative governance, where elected officials are expected to derive their mandate directly from the electorate rather than through party endorsement alone.
He warned that if lawmakers rely on internal party arrangements to secure re-election, it may weaken accountability to the people they represent.
Abdullahi elaborated on the implications of this trend, stating, “So what that means is that the mandate of the House of Elected Representatives of the people is no longer renewable by the people.”
He argued that this could erode public confidence in democratic institutions and reduce the incentive for elected officials to remain responsive to their constituents.
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