The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has condemned the Nigerian government, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of embarrassment and moral cowardice over the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the United States.
The statement was released on Monday by ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
The party criticized Nigeria’s lack of response more than 48 hours after the US operation, describing the government’s silence as “reeking of fear” and “a further indication that Nigeria has lost both voice and standing on the international stage.”
In addition, the statement highlighted the widely condemned 2024 Venezuelan elections as evidence that regimes surviving on fraud and repression cannot rely on international doctrines of sovereignty for protection.
“Let’s be clear,” the statement said, “the Nigerian government’s silence has nothing to do with neutrality. It reveals a government that lacks confidence simply because it lacks integrity.”
ADC also drew a direct parallel to Nigeria, asserting that the Venezuelan crisis should serve as a cautionary tale to dictators and election riggers everywhere.
The party further implied that leaders who manipulate elections and deny citizens’ rights will eventually face accountability.
It went on to call out the Tinubu administration for failing to take a principled stand on global matters, suggesting that Nigeria risks losing credibility as Africa’s largest democracy while turning a blind eye to crises that offer broader lessons about legitimacy and governance.
The statement concluded that democracy must mean more than “ballots and electoralism” and that governments prioritizing survival over the will of the people are increasingly exposed on the world stage.