The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned the Federal Government against using recent coup rumours as a pretext to clamp down on opposition figures or stifle dissent, warning that politicising such sensitive reports could endanger Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said any attempt to weaponise the alleged coup for political advantage would be a “dangerous descent into authoritarianism.”
His remarks followed media reports that the Defence Intelligence Agency had detained several officers — ranging from Captain to Brigadier General — over alleged meetings to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government. The Defence Headquarters has since described the reports as “false and malicious.”
The ADC, however, criticised the government’s silence, arguing that its failure to make a clear public statement despite the military’s denial had allowed the rumour to “fester” and stir unnecessary tension.
“The ADC has been closely monitoring reports of an alleged coup plot involving arrested military officers and claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly funding them,” the statement read.
“While we vehemently oppose any attempt 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 party expressed alarm over what it called “conflicting signals” from official sources, saying the confusion raised fears that the coup narrative “may have been politically engineered.”
“It is becoming clear that the government is exploiting the coup story to divert attention from the real issues of misgovernance and to curry public sympathy,” the ADC said. “Even more troubling are subsequent reports linking unnamed politicians to the so-called plot — a development that could serve as a pretext to clamp down on opposition leaders or mount undue surveillance on them.”
Accusing the All Progressives Congress-led administration of “acting out of desperation,” the party warned that such behaviour could erode democratic stability and public trust.
“The Federal Government must immediately clarify the true nature of the alleged coup. If there is indeed a threat to national security, it must be transparent and brief the nation accordingly. Conversely, if the reports are false, government has a duty to quash the rumour rather than weaponise national security as a tool of intimidation,” the statement said.
Reaffirming its opposition to any form of dictatorship, the ADC concluded, “We support legitimate actions to defend our constitution and democracy, but we will resist any ploy by the government to silence lawful voices under the guise of protecting national security.”
