“All Is Fair in Politics” vs. “Peace Be Unto You”: NDC Accuses Tinubu of Hypocrisy

The Nigeria Democratic Congress has accused President Bola Tinubu of blatant inconsistency, saying his November 13 appeal for peaceful political campaigns directly contradicts his July 28 declaration that “all is fair in politics” and his vow to wrestle his opponents to the finishing point.

The rebuke was contained in a statement signed by the party’s Enugu State Secretary, Nebo Chukwujekwu Emmanuel, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE CONTRADICTION

The NDC questioned what had changed between the President’s earlier combative rhetoric and his recent call for political civility.

“Peace should not become a convenient sermon preached only when the political atmosphere becomes uncomfortable for those in power,” the party said .

The NDC suggested that the President’s recent appeal might have been influenced by “public embarrassment and reported humiliation surrounding his mosque visit”, a reference to the stoning of his convoy in Abuja on Friday.

THE CHALLENGE

The party asked the President to clarify the limits of his earlier declaration that all was fair in politics, questioning whether intimidation, political thuggery, and harassment of opposition parties could also be considered acceptable political tactics.

“If all is fair in politics, where do you draw the line between political competition and political violence? Is intimidation fair? Is political thuggery fair? Is the harassment of opposition parties fair? Are Nigerians expected to accept double standards in the name of political expediency?” the statement asked .

THE DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY

The NDC maintained that democracy should not be treated as a contest in which political opponents must be defeated through intimidation or strong-arm tactics.

“Democracy is not a wrestling match, and political opponents are not enemies to be conquered. Democracy is governed by constitutional rights, fairness, accountability and respect for the rule of law,” it said .

The party welcomed genuine calls for peaceful elections but insisted that Tinubu must demonstrate his commitment through concrete actions rather than public statements.

It urged him to ensure that security agencies protect all political parties equally and that opposition candidates are allowed to campaign freely without intimidation, harassment, or selective enforcement of the law .

“Mr President, peace is not a political strategy to be activated when the tables turn. It is a leadership responsibility that must be upheld at all times, whether the political atmosphere favours you or challenges you”.

WHY IT MATTERS

There is a word for what the NDC is accusing the President of, and that word is hypocrisy.

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In July, Tinubu reportedly declared that all was fair in politics and vowed to wrestle his opponents to the finishing point.

In November, after his convoy was stoned in Abuja and after opposition events were attacked across the country, he issued a statement condemning political violence and calling for issue-based campaigns.

The NDC is asking a simple question: which Tinubu are we supposed to believe?

The answer, of course, is both. Politicians adapt their rhetoric to the political environment. When they feel strong, they talk tough. When they feel vulnerable, they call for peace. It is not a new phenomenon in Nigerian politics.

But it is jarring when the shift is so abrupt and so public.

The NDC has done what opposition parties are supposed to do: it has held the President to his own words. It has pointed out the contradiction, challenged his credibility, and framed his peace appeal as a tactical retreat rather than a principled commitment.

The President has not responded to the NDC’s statement. The campaign continues. And the question of whether Tinubu’s peace appeal is genuine or strategic will be answered not by his words, but by the conduct of his party and its supporters in the weeks ahead. ValidViewNetwork reports.