The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned the federalgovernment not to use the alleged coup plot as an excuse to target oppositionfigures or silence dissenting voices. In a statement on Monday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’snational publicity secretary, said while the party condemns any attempt toundermine Nigeria’s democratic order, the government must not exploit thesituation to instil fear or pursue political advantage under the guise ofnational security. “The ADC has been following reports of an alleged coup plotinvolving some arrested military officers and claims that a former southerngovernor is under investigation for allegedly funding them,” the statementreads. “While we strongly oppose any action that threatensNigeria’s constitutional order, we are equally worried about the possibility ofusing such allegations to justify political witch-hunts, suppress dissent, ormanipulate public opinion.” Abdullahi said the conflicting statements from governmentsources—especially after the defence headquarters denied knowledge of any coupplot—raised serious concerns about the credibility of the reports. He noted that the federal government’s “silence” on thematter had allowed the rumour to spread unchecked, fuelling suspicion that itmay be politically motivated. “What appears clear is that the government is using the coupnarrative to divert attention from widespread misgovernance and to curry publicsympathy,” he said. “Even more troubling are media reports suggesting unnamedpoliticians are linked to the alleged plot — a development that could be usedto justify clampdowns or surveillance on opposition figures.” Abdullahi said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)must not allow its “desperation” to remain in power to endanger democracy orcitizens’ rights. “The government has a duty to clarify the true nature of thealleged coup and address the nation transparently if any threat truly exists,”he said. “It must desist from weaponising national security tosilence political opposition.” He said the ADC stood firmly against all forms ofdictatorship, whether military or civilian, and would support any legitimateaction taken to defend the constitution.
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