In a recent statement via his official X account, former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Sam Amadi, has advised the opposition coalition within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to rethink its political strategy if it hopes to successfully challenge President Bola Tinubu.
”The biggest mistake that ADC can make is to fight Tinubu where Tinubu is strongest: establishment politics. How can you defeat Tinubu by being institutional and structural. Tinubu is ahead of everyone on that score. Tinubu is very unpopular, use populist politics to beat him,” he wrote.
In his post, Amadi warned that it would be a major mistake for the opposition to confront Tinubu using establishment-style politics, according to him, the Nigerian president has built his political career around strong institutional networks and influence within the political system.
He argued that competing with him on the same terrain could place opposition parties at a disadvantage and explained that Tinubu’s political strength lies in his deep connections within the structures of governance and party organization, over the years, the president has developed strong alliances and political machinery that help him maintain influence within the establishment.
Amadi suggested that trying to defeat such a system using the same institutional approach may not produce the desired results, instead, the legal scholar advised the opposition coalition to focus on mobilizing public sentiment and grassroots support.
He said a people-centered strategy could resonate more strongly with citizens who are dissatisfied with the current political and economic conditions in the country and argued that Tinubu’s government is facing significant public criticism, which the opposition could channel into a broader populist movement.
According to him, appealing directly to the concerns and frustrations of ordinary Nigerians may provide a stronger political platform for opposition parties.
Amadi maintained that any successful opposition strategy must recognize the political strengths of the incumbent while finding alternative ways to connect with the Nigerian public and stressed that understanding the terrain of Nigerian politics is essential for any coalition seeking to unseat the current administration.