…cautions against weaponising national security to silence dissenting voices
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned the Federal Government against using the reported coup plot involving some detained military officers as an excuse to intimidate opposition leaders or suppress legitimate political expression in the country.
The opposition party issued the warning on Monday in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, where it expressed deep concern over the emerging narrative surrounding the alleged plot.
The statement reads partly: “The ADC has been closely monitoring the reports of an alleged coup plot involving some arrested military officers and claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly funding the suspects.”
“While we strongly oppose any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s constitutional order, we are equally worried that such allegations could be used to justify political witch-hunts or manipulate public sentiment.”
“Such inconsistency raises fears that the coup narrative may have been politically engineered. By keeping quiet, the government has deliberately allowed the coup story to fester for whatever reason. What is clear, however, is that the government is exploiting the coup story to divert attention from the real issues of misgovernance and to curry sympathy.”
“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 noted that conflicting statements from government agencies had created confusion among citizens, especially after the Defence Headquarters publicly denied ever announcing any coup plot despite several media reports suggesting otherwise.
According to the party, the government’s silence and lack of clarity on the matter have only worsened public suspicion that the story could be politically motivated to target perceived opponents.
The ADC urged the Federal Government to make a clear, transparent statement on the alleged coup and to desist from using national security as a pretext to clamp down on dissenting voices or opposition figures.
“If there is truly a threat to national security, the government should brief the nation accordingly.
“Otherwise, it must desist from weaponising national security as a pretext to silence opposition and political dissent,” the statement said.
The party reaffirmed its total commitment to democratic governance, stressing that it would continue to support legitimate actions taken in defence of the Nigerian Constitution and the rule of law.
Abdullahi stated: “The ADC supports all legitimate actions taken in defence of our constitution and democracy,” “In the same vein, we oppose any attempt by the government to intimidate legitimate voices under the guise of national security.”
The party, therefore, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist any attempt to erode the hard-earned democratic freedoms that the nation has built over the years.
