The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over Nigeria’s exclusion from high-level commercial talks between the United States and five African countries at the White House this week.
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the ADC described Nigeria’s absence as a “damning international indictment” of the government’s poor economic management and weakened foreign policy under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, said it was shocking that Nigeria Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation was sidelined in favour of smaller nations such as Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal.
“Although we are Africa’s largest economy, with the continent’s most influential diaspora, the United States chose to bypass us for countries whose combined GDP is only a fraction of ours,” Abdullahi said.
The US government reportedly said invitations were extended to countries demonstrating “the ability and willingness to help themselves,” a remark the ADC interprets as a direct rebuke of Nigeria’s current governance and performance.
“In plain terms, this means Nigeria is no longer taken seriously under President Tinubu,” the party added.
The ADC also expressed concern over Nigeria’s diminishing influence on the global stage, citing former US President Donald Trump’s recent threat of tariffs over Nigeria’s BRICS membership and the country’s waning leadership within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“Only a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for such a meeting to take place without Nigeria. This shows just how far our global standing has declined under this administration,” the statement continued.
The party further criticised President Tinubu’s recent week-long visit to St. Lucia, a small Caribbean nation, calling it a sign of misplaced diplomatic priorities.
The ADC contrasted the present situation with Nigeria’s previous global leadership roles and the prominence of Nigerians like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization.
“This is what happens when a government chooses politics over performance, and propaganda over progress,” Abdullahi said. “Nigeria is too big, too important, and too proud to be ignored.”
The US-Africa business summit, which begins Wednesday, aims to boost trade and investment partnerships between American firms and select African nations. The ADC said Nigeria’s exclusion from such a critical event signals a worrying erosion of its traditional leadership in African affairs.