The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to openly brief Nigerians on the alleged coup plot making headlines across the country, warning against using the issue as a political tool to intimidate opposition figures.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said while it strongly condemns any attempt to subvert Nigeria’s democratic order, the government must not exploit the situation to justify surveillance, harassment, or political persecution.
“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 read.
The ADC expressed concern over reports linking some detained military officers to a purported coup plot and allegations that a former southern governor is being investigated for allegedly funding the suspects.
It faulted what it called “conflicting signals” from government sources, noting that while some media reports suggested a coup investigation, the Defence Headquarters had denied confirming such claims.
“Such inconsistency raises serious fears that the coup narrative may have been politically engineered,” the party stated, accusing the government of allowing the story to fester as a distraction from pressing governance challenges.
“The government appears to be using the coup story to divert attention from national issues and to justify surveillance or clampdowns on opposition figures,” the ADC alleged.
The party urged the federal government to either “decisively quash the swirling rumours” or brief Nigerians if there is any credible threat to national security, insisting that transparency and accountability remain vital in a democracy.
Reaffirming its commitment to democratic values, the ADC warned that national security must never be weaponised for political gain.
“We support all lawful measures to defend democracy, but we reject any ploy to intimidate citizens under the guise of national security,” the statement added.
