The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to provide immediate and clear clarification on the alleged coup plot involving arrested military officers, warning that the matter could be used to suppress dissent or intimidate opposition figures.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed deep concern over the implications of the alleged plot, which has been widely reported in the media.
The ADC noted that reports have linked a group of arrested military officers to the supposed plot, with unconfirmed claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly financing 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,” the party stated.
Conflicting Signals and Government Silence
The party criticised what it described as “conflicting signals” from official channels, pointing out that the Defence Headquarters had denied ever referencing any coup plot, despite media reports suggesting otherwise.
“Such inconsistency raises serious fears that the coup narrative may have been politically engineered,” the statement added.
The ADC also faulted the Federal Government for its continued silence on the matter, describing it as a deliberate tactic to allow speculation to grow unchecked.
“The ADC is particularly concerned that the federal government has not deemed it fit to make a categorical statement on this very serious matter, especially after the military authorities repeatedly denied that there was such a threat to the government. By keeping quiet, the government has deliberately allowed the coup story to fester,” it said.
Allegations of Political Motive
The party went further to suggest that the government may be using the narrative to divert public attention from pressing issues of governance and to generate sympathy.
“What is clear, however, is that the government is exploiting the coup story to divert attention from the real issues of misgovernance in the country and to curry sympathy,” the ADC alleged.
It also raised alarm over what it described as an emerging pattern of attributing the plot to unnamed political figures, warning that such developments could pave the way for a crackdown on the opposition.
“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 statement concluded.
Call for Clarity
The ADC urged the Federal Government to issue a definitive statement clarifying the facts surrounding the alleged plot, stressing that transparency is essential to maintain public trust and protect democratic institutions.
