By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA—African Democratic Congress, ADC, has blamed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for Nigeria’s exclusion from high-level commercial talks between the United States and five African countries in the White House this week.

In a statement yesterday, the party described Nigeria’s absence as a ‘damning international indictment’ of the government’s poor handling of the economy and weak foreign policy.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, said Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest economy and consumer market, was overlooked in favour of smaller countries such as Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal.

“Although we are Africa’s largest economy, with the largest consumer market and the continent’s most influential diaspora, the United States chose to bypass us in favour of nations which combined GDP is only a fraction of ours,’’ Abdullahi said.

The US government explained that the invitations went to countries that had shown ‘the ability and willingness to help themselves,’ a standard the ADC believed directly reflected Nigeria’s current failures under the All Progressives Congress, APC, government.

He added:  “In plain terms, this means Nigeria is no longer taken seriously under President Tinubu.’’

The ADC scribe warned that Nigeria’s global reputation was slipping, citing recent threats by former US President, Donald Trump, to impose extra tariffs due to Nigeria’s BRICS membership, and the country’s reduced influence in the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

“Only a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for such a meeting to hold without Nigeria. This shows just how far our global standing has declined under this administration,” Abdullahi said.

He also criticised President Tinubu’s week-long visit to St. Lucia, a Caribbean nation with an economy far smaller than Nigeria’s, calling it a sign of misplaced priorities.

He contrasted Nigeria’s current situation with its historical leadership role in Africa and the global influence of figures such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, now Director-General of the World Trade Organization, WTO.

“This is what happens when a government chooses politics over performance, and propaganda over progress. Nigeria is too big, too important and too proud to be ignored,” Abdullahi said.

The US-Africa business summit, which begins today, aims to strengthen trade and investment between American companies and African partners.

According to the Adc spokesman, Nigeria’s exclusion from such a key economic forum marks a worrying shift from the country’s traditional role as a leading voice in African affairs.