The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the Tinubu-led government is looking for reasons to suppress opposition voices in the country under the cover of national security concerns.
In a detailed statement released on Wednesday, the ADC accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of attempting to silence legitimate opposition through fear tactics. The party maintained that its only interest is to rescue Nigeria from what it described as the deepening failures of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, not to destabilize the country.
Speaking through its interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said it was becoming increasingly worried about the APC’s intolerance toward opposing views. He questioned why the ruling party, which once rose to power through opposition politics, now appears to view dissent as a threat.
The statement came after Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that some political groups were allegedly “banding together to overthrow an administration that has been the most focused, most transformative in our history.”
In response, the ADC dismissed Onanuga’s comments as “irresponsible and defamatory,” adding that such statements could easily serve as a smokescreen for cracking down on critical voices and political challengers.
“Bayo Onanuga’s tweet is a textbook example of a political dog whistle,” the party said. “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.”
The party insisted that its commitment to democratic principles remains firm. “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 went further, reminding the APC of its history as an opposition movement. “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 also asked President Tinubu to caution his aides, especially those making what it called “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 watchful, the party warned that there may be quiet efforts to discredit the opposition and reduce space for political competition.
“The health of our democracy depends on a free, open, and competitive political environment,” it noted.
The ADC further appealed to global observers, democratic institutions, and human rights groups to keep a close watch on Nigeria’s political atmosphere.
“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,” the party concluded.
