Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Amid rumours of an attempted coup to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on October 21, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government against using the alleged plot as a pretext to clamp down on opposition voices.
The ADC warned the government not to hide under the guise of national security to conduct extrajudicial surveillance or persecute those critical of Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said that while the ADC views any threat to Nigeria’s democratic order with utmost seriousness, it would “not tolerate any attempt by the government to exploit the situation to instil fear, suppress dissent, or gain political advantage under the guise of national security.”
The party said it had been closely monitoring developments surrounding the alleged coup involving some arrested military officers, amid media claims that a former Southern governor was under investigation for allegedly funding the suspects.
The ADC warned against using such allegations to justify political witch-hunts or manipulate public opinion, urging the APC-led government not to plunge the country into avoidable political turmoil for selfish ends.
“While we vehemently oppose any effort to undermine Nigeria’s constitutional order, we are equally concerned about the potential misuse of such allegations to justify political witch-hunts, suppress dissent, or manipulate public sentiment,” the statement read in part.
Expressing concern over conflicting statements from government sources, the ADC recalled that the Defence Headquarters had denied mentioning any coup plot despite widespread media reports, describing the government’s continued silence as “suspicious.”
“Such inconsistency raises serious fears that the coup narrative may have been politically engineered,” the party said.
The ADC accused the Federal Government of using the coup story to divert public attention from issues of misgovernance and to whip up public sympathy.
“Subsequent media reports implicating unnamed politicians could provide a pretext to target opposition figures. What is clear is that the government is exploiting the coup story to divert attention from the real issues of misgovernance in the country,” the statement added.
The party described the situation as a sign of desperation, warning that such tactics could endanger Nigeria’s democracy and erode citizens’ rights.
“We understand that the APC government is desperate. But such desperation must never be allowed to endanger our democracy or undermine the democratic rights of citizens,” the ADC warned.
The party urged the government to clarify the true nature of the alleged coup — either to dispel the rumour or to be transparent about any real threat to national security. It also cautioned against weaponising national security to silence political opposition.
Reaffirming its commitment to democracy, the ADC vowed to resist any form of dictatorship, whether military or civilian.
“The ADC is resolute in its opposition to dictatorship in any form. We support any legitimate action taken to defend our constitution and democracy, but we reject any ploy by the government to intimidate legitimate voices under the guise of national security,” the statement concluded.
According to media reports, about 16 senior military officers have been arrested in connection with the alleged coup, though the government has neither confirmed nor denied the development.
