ADC Warns FG Against Exploiting Alleged Coup to Silence Opposition

On Monday, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) cautioned the federal government against using the alleged coup plot as a tool to clamp down on opposition leaders and target dissenting voices.

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the ADC said while it takes any threat to Nigeria’s democratic order seriously, it is concerned that the government could exploit the situation to instil fear and gain political advantage under the guise of national security.

The statement reads: “The ADC has been closely monitoring reports of an alleged coup plot involving arrested military officers and subsequent media claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly funding the suspects. 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 party expressed concern over conflicting signals from government sources, noting that the Defence Headquarters had publicly denied ever mentioning a coup plot, despite widespread media reports suggesting otherwise. The ADC warned that such inconsistencies could indicate political engineering of the coup narrative.

According to the party, the federal government has failed to make a clear statement on the matter, allowing rumours to fester. “What is clear, however, is that the government is exploiting the coup story to divert attention from real issues of misgovernance and to curry sympathy. Unattributed media reports implicating unnamed politicians now provide a pretext for the government to clamp down on opposition figures or mount undue surveillance on them,” the statement added.

The ADC called on the government to clarify the alleged coup immediately and brief Nigerians transparently if there is any genuine threat. The party stressed that national security should not be used as a pretext to intimidate legitimate political voices.

“The ADC is resolute in its opposition to dictatorship of any form, whether military or civilian. We support any legitimate action taken to defend the constitution and democracy and oppose any ploy to intimidate voices under the guise of national security,” the statement concluded.