The African Democratic Congress has cautioned the Federal Government against using the recent reports of an alleged coup plot as a pretext to clamp down on opposition leaders or stifle dissenting voices.
In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that any attempt to exploit the rumoured coup for political gain would endanger Nigeria’s democracy and fundamental freedoms.
The warning followed reports that the Defence Intelligence Agency had arrested several military officers — from the ranks of Captain to Brigadier General — over alleged secret meetings to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Defence Headquarters has since dismissed the reports as “false and malicious.”
The statement read in part, “The ADC has been closely monitoring reports of an alleged coup plot involving arrested military officers and subsequent media claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly funding 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.
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