Venezuela crisis: ADC cautions Nigeria, faults Tinubu’s silence

 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the recent action by United States President Donald Trump against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as a warning to Nigeria and other governments it said suffer from legitimacy deficits.

The party said Nigeria’s failure to comment on the unfolding situation in Venezuela was embarrassing and indicative of fear on the part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC reaffirmed its belief in the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference, but warned that such doctrines should not be used to shield poor governance and democratic abuses.

According to the party, while sovereignty remains sacrosanct, it must not become a refuge for tyranny, electoral fraud or the systematic denial of citizens’ right to freely choose their leaders.

The ADC noted that Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election was widely condemned by countries in Latin America, the European Union and several democratic institutions, describing the process as illegitimate and deeply flawed.

It alleged that opposition candidates were barred from participating, protests were violently suppressed and state institutions were deployed against citizens, leading to a crisis that triggered mass migration and threatened regional stability.

Although it acknowledged that the United States’ intervention raises serious legal and international concerns, the party said the popular support that followed developments in Venezuela exposed a deeper legitimacy crisis confronting the Maduro government.

The ADC also took a swipe at the Nigerian government for failing to react to the developments.

It said it was troubling that more than 48 hours after the situation escalated in Venezuela, Nigeria was yet to make any official statement, arguing that such silence suggests the country has lost its voice and standing in international affairs.

According to the party, the Tinubu administration’s posture reflects a moral crisis that undermines its capacity to take principled positions on global democratic issues.

The ADC concluded that sovereignty must ultimately derive from the will of the people and not merely serve the survival of those in power, warning that the global community is increasingly intolerant of contrived mandates.