The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has queried the absence of President Bola Tinubu at the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.
As earlier reported by Naija News, the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, on Thursday, January 15, led proceedings marking the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day at the cenotaph of the Unknown Soldier, Eagle Square, Abuja..👉Read The Complete Original.
Shettima represented President Tinubu, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates attending the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026.
However, the ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, commemorating the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, honouring the courage and sacrifice of fallen and serving members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, sharply criticised President Tinubu’s absence from the national observance.
The party described the President’s unavailability on such a solemn day as troubling, arguing that the physical and moral presence of the Commander-in-Chief is a vital symbol of solidarity with troops and military families.
The ADC called for the leadership to take responsibility, show up, and match the sacrifices of Nigeria’s armed forces with a clear strategy and genuine political will.
The full statement read: “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..👉Read The Complete Original.
“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.”