The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned the federal government against using the reports of an alleged coup plot as a pretext to clamp down on opposition leaders or subject dissenting voices to unlawful surveillance.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said it views any threat to Nigeria’s democratic order with the utmost seriousness.
However, it warned that the government must not exploit the situation to instil fear, suppress dissent, or seek political advantage under the guise of national security.
The ADC said it has been closely following reports linking some arrested military officers to a purported coup plot and subsequent media claims that a former southern governor is being investigated 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 statement said.
The party also expressed worry 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. “Such inconsistency raises serious fears that the coup narrative may have been politically engineered,” it added.
The ADC faulted the government’s silence on the matter, describing it as a deliberate attempt to allow the story to fester. It is alleged that the administration might be exploiting the narrative to divert public attention from issues of misgovernance and to gain sympathy.
“What is clear, however, is that the government is using the coup story to distract from pressing national challenges and create a pretext to clamp down on opposition figures or place them under surveillance,” the statement continued.
The party urged the federal government to immediately clarify the true nature of the alleged coup. “The government has a duty to decisively quash the swirling rumour. Conversely, if there is indeed any such threat to national security, it must be transparent about it and brief the nation accordingly,” Abdullahi stated.
He emphasised that national security should never be weaponised to silence opposition voices or legitimate political dissent.
“The ADC remains resolute in its opposition to dictatorship of any form—whether military or civilian. We support any lawful measures taken to defend the constitution and democracy, but we reject any ploy to intimidate citizens under the guise of national security,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State on Tuesday said that Nigeria’s opposition parties had failed woefully on all counts, describing them as directionless.
The APC Spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement in Lagos, said the party observed with grave concern the deteriorating state of the so-called opposition parties in Nigeria.
He said that absence of credible opposition was not good as the nation gradually approaches the 2027 general elections.
“Rather than serve as credible watchdogs, policy challengers, or intellectual counterweights to the ruling party, the opposition has degenerated into a coalition of desperation, confusion, and hypocrisy – the very bane of Nigeria’s democratic growth.
“The health of any democracy is measured by the quality, depth, and seriousness of its opposition – its ideas, organisation, and consistency.
“Sadly, Nigeria’s opposition has failed woefully on all counts. It lacks leadership, cohesion, and a binding political philosophy.
“The nation has watched in disbelief as individuals who once claimed to stand for ideological purity now leapfrog from one platform to another in search of personal relevance.
“The opposition’s moral compass has been completely eroded, leaving behind a band of opportunists united only by their lust for power,” Oladejo said.
According to him, today’s reality of opposition stands in sharp contrast to the opposition years under the leadership of now President Bola Tinubu.
Describing Tinubu as a master political strategist and democrat, he said that the former opposition leader, now president, built a formidable coalition rooted in principles, ideas, and structure.
He said that Tinubu’s opposition politics was defined by clarity of purpose, ideological direction, and consistency of engagement.
“He offered Nigerians a credible alternative founded on progressivism, good governance, and national unity,” he said.
Oladejo said that It was that brand of purposeful and issue-driven opposition that gave birth to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
” The APC of today is a testament to what visionary and responsible opposition politics can achieve when driven by patriotism rather than personal ambition,” he said.
He said that President Tinubu’s administration had continued to pursue the Renewed Hope Agenda with courage and clarity.
Oladejo also said that the President had been implementing tough but necessary reforms to reposition the economy and restore national pride.
“The APC finds it troubling that none of the opposition parties has presented any coherent roadmap for the economy, security, education, or social development.
“Their default strategy remains to demonise government policies while offering no credible alternatives.
“Such an unserious and visionless opposition can only undermine the progress of democracy by reducing public discourse to noise and confusion,” he added.
According to him, Nigerians are fast losing interest in a political opposition that neither inspires confidence nor offers any hope of genuine change.
“Democracy thrives on choice – and when one side of the political divide consistently fails to evolve, citizens naturally disengage from the process.
“Let it be known that democracy thrives not just on the conduct of elections but on the quality of engagement between the ruling party and a constructive opposition.
“Unfortunately, what we have today is a fragmented assemblage of self-appointed messiahs and expired politicians who mistake social media noise for national relevance,” he said.
