ADC Slams Akpabio Over “Insensitive” Remark Comparing Party to 2006 ADC Airlines Crash

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned Senate President Godswill Akpabio for what it described as an “insensitive and demeaning” remark linking the party’s future to the tragic ADC Airlines Flight 53 crash of 2006 — one of Nigeria’s deadliest aviation disasters.

Akpabio, while addressing supporters during a recent political rally, had reportedly mocked the ADC’s chances in the upcoming 2027 general elections, warning voters not to “board the ADC flight that crashed long ago.”

The analogy, referencing the October 29, 2006 Abuja air disaster that claimed all 96 lives on board, including Sultan Muhammadu Maccido of Sokoto, has since drawn widespread outrage for trivializing a national tragedy.

In a statement issued late Monday, the ADC National Publicity Secretary accused the Senate President of “weaponizing human tragedy for cheap political humor,” urging him to issue an unreserved public apology to the families of victims. The party said Akpabio’s words not only displayed poor judgment but also revealed “the moral bankruptcy of Nigeria’s political elite who exploit pain for applause.”

The 2006 ADC Airlines Flight 53 crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was later traced to pilot error compounded by bad weather. The Boeing 737-200 accident led to intense public grief and exposed deep structural weaknesses in Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector — prompting sweeping reforms in safety oversight and pilot training.

Families of the victims, including those of the late Sultan, continue to commemorate the tragedy annually as a painful chapter in Nigeria’s history. Many have expressed renewed anguish on social media following Akpabio’s remarks, with one X user writing: “Our loved ones died in that crash. It’s not a metaphor for your politics.”

Opposition politicians and civic groups have also joined in the condemnation, arguing that the statement reflects a lack of empathy from those in power. Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong described the comment as “utterly reprehensible,” adding that “no tragedy should ever be reduced to a campaign punchline.”

While Akpabio’s team has yet to issue a formal response, the backlash continues to trend online, further deepening partisan divides ahead of the 2027 polls.

For many Nigerians, the controversy serves as another reminder of how far the country’s political rhetoric has strayed from empathy — turning even national sorrow into fodder for political spectacle.