The African Democratic Congress has cautioned the Federal Government against using the recent reports of an alleged coup plot as a pretext to clamp down on opposition leaders or stifle dissenting voices.
In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that any attempt to exploit the rumoured coup for political gain would endanger Nigeria’s democracy and fundamental freedoms.
The warning followed reports that the Defence Intelligence Agency had arrested several military officers — from the ranks of Captain to Brigadier General — over alleged secret meetings to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Defence Headquarters has since dismissed the reports as “false and malicious.”
Reacting, the ADC criticised the Federal Government’s silence on the matter, saying its failure to issue a clear position despite the military’s denial had allowed the rumour to fester and fuel unnecessary anxiety.
The statement read in part, “The ADC has been closely monitoring reports of an alleged coup plot involving arrested military officers and subsequent media claims that a former southern governor is under investigation 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.
“We are particularly alarmed by conflicting signals from government sources, especially as the Defence Headquarters has publicly denied ever mentioning a coup plot, despite widespread media reports to the contrary. Such inconsistency raises fears that the coup narrative may have been politically engineered.”
The ADC said it was disturbing that the Federal Government had not made a categorical statement on the alleged plot, even after the military’s repeated denials.
“By keeping quiet, the government has deliberately allowed the coup story to fester for whatever reason,” it said. “It is becoming clear that the government is exploiting the coup narrative to divert attention from the real issues of misgovernance and to curry public sympathy. Even more worrisome are subsequent media reports linking unnamed politicians to the so-called plot — a development that could be used as a pretext to clamp down on opposition figures or mount undue surveillance on them.”
The party accused the All Progressives Congress-led administration of acting out of desperation and warned that such conduct could undermine democratic stability.
“The ADC calls on the Federal Government to immediately clarify the true nature of the alleged coup. If there is indeed a threat to national security, government must be transparent about it and brief the nation accordingly,” the statement continued.
“Conversely, if the reports are false, government has a duty to decisively quash the rumour rather than weaponise national security as a pretext to silence opposition and political dissent.”
Reaffirming its commitment to democratic values, the ADC declared, “We are resolute in our opposition to dictatorship of any form — whether military or civilian. While we support legitimate actions to defend our constitution and democracy, we strongly oppose any ploy by the government to intimidate lawful voices under the guise of national security.”
PUNCH.
