The African Democratic Congress has accused the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government of plotting to suppress legitimate opposition under the guise of national security, following recent claims by a presidential aide.
In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, the party said it had no intention of undermining democracy but is solely focused on rescuing Nigeria from what it described as the “irredeemable incompetence” of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The party’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed concern over the APC’s growing hostility toward dissenting voices, questioning the ruling party’s apparent discomfort with opposition politics.
His remarks followed a statement on X (formerly Twitter) by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who alleged that certain political figures were “banding together to overthrow an administration that has been the most focused, most transformative in our history.”
In its response, the ADC dismissed Onanuga’s post as “irresponsible and defamatory,” warning that such rhetoric could be used as a pretext for a wider clampdown on opposition leaders and voices critical of the government.
“Bayo Onanuga’s tweet is a textbook example of a political dog whistle,” the ADC stated. “The APC-led Federal Government appears to be constructing a false narrative designed to justify a potential crackdown on dissent and to criminalise legitimate opposition activities under the guise of protecting national security.”
Reaffirming its democratic credentials, the party said, “The ADC is not interested in truncating democracy.
We are solely committed to saving the nation from the irredeemable incompetence of this government. And the only means available to us is the democratic means.
“We are not soldiers; we are politicians. We don’t have bullets—only ballots. When the time comes, we will present our solutions and an alternative vision of the future to the Nigerian people and leave them to make their choice.”
Abdullahi also accused the APC of forgetting its own roots as a former opposition party, adding, “It is a great wonder that the same party, which came to power as an opposition force, now appears to find the idea of opposition unacceptable.”
The ADC therefore called on President Tinubu to rein in his aides, particularly those making what it described as “baseless but dangerous allegations that risk heating up the polity two years before the next general election.”
“This manner of crying wolf where there is none does not make the president look good and only betrays a sense of panic,” the party added.
Urging citizens to remain alert, the ADC warned of covert attempts to delegitimise the opposition and shrink democratic space.
“The health of our democracy depends on a free, open, and competitive political environment,” it noted.
The party also appealed to the international community, including democratic governments, human rights organisations, and election observers, to closely monitor the political climate in Nigeria.
“We call on them to hold the Tinubu administration accountable for any actions that undermine democratic freedoms or violate the political rights of Nigerian citizens.
“The ADC remains committed to building a better Nigeria—through peace, participation, and the power of the people,” he said.
