ADC to FG: Seek N’Assembly Approval for Benin Intervention

 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday commended the Federal Government for its swift response to the reported coup attempt in the Republic of Benin but insisted that the move must comply fully with constitutional provisions.

In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said that while the prompt intervention helped defend democratic order in Nigeria’s neighbourhood, any deployment of security personnel outside the country requires the approval of the National Assembly as mandated by the Constitution.

Abdullahi noted that even if the President’s quick action was driven by urgency, it “must still undergo the legislative oversight required for external military or security engagement.”

The ADC also questioned what it described as Nigeria’s inconsistent posture in regional crises, contrasting the urgency shown in Benin with the hesitation during the Guinea-Bissau instability—an episode in which a former Nigerian President was caught in the middle of political tension.

“Nigerians are asking: what changed? What determines when Nigeria acts swiftly and when it delays?” Abdullahi said, adding that the sudden decisiveness in Benin has strengthened speculation that the intervention may have been influenced by a more powerful external government.

More troubling, he said, is the contrast between Nigeria’s quick foreign action and its slow response to insecurity at home.

“If the government can mobilise decisively across our borders, why has it failed to show the same urgency in tackling banditry, terrorism, and violent crime within Nigeria?” he asked. “Communities remain under siege, families continue to flee their homes, and criminal groups operate openly while government action lags.”

The ADC stressed that the defence of democracy must begin within Nigeria’s borders through the protection of citizens and the rebuilding of trust in state institutions.

Reaffirming its opposition to unconstitutional takeovers, the party said the surest way to prevent military adventurism is for elected leaders to improve the lives of citizens, strengthen democratic institutions, and allow opposition voices to flourish.