By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA ? The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Presidency of fabricating claims of an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?s administration, alleging that it is a deliberate strategy to justify the repression of opposition leaders.

The party described a recent tweet by Bayo Onanuga, an aide to the President, as a ‘reckless and malicious’ ploy designed to lay the groundwork for a systematic crackdown on dissent.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC and Spokesperson for the Opposition Coalition, warned that such unsubstantiated claims signal a broader campaign of intimidation and repression by the Tinubu administration.

The statement came just one week after the formal unveiling of the national opposition coalition in Abuja.

Onanuga?s tweet, which sparked the controversy, read: ?Just two years after Tinubu began implementing the reforms, the haters of Nigeria?s progress are banding together to overthrow an administration that has been the most focused, most transformative in our history.?

The ADC condemned the tweet, stating, ?Bayo Onanuga?s tweet is a textbook example of a political dog whistle. The APC-led federal government appears to be constructing a false narrative that is designed to justify potential clampdown on dissent, and to criminalise legitimate opposition activity under the guise of national security.?

The party emphasised its commitment to democratic processes, rejecting any notion of truncating democracy.

?We are not soldiers, we are politicians. We don?t have bullets; we only have the ballots. When the time comes, we will only present our solutions and an alternative vision of the future to the Nigerian people and leave them to make their choice,? the ADC declared.

The ADC expressed bewilderment at the ruling party?s alleged intolerance of opposition, noting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) itself emerged as the first opposition party to take power in Nigeria.

?We are left to wonder why the APC government is so jittery that it is so eager to betray its own heritage. APC is the first opposition party to come to power in Nigeria. It is therefore a great wonder that the same party now appears to find it strange that there is an opposition at all,? Abdullahi stated.

The party called on President Tinubu to caution his aides against making baseless allegations that could heighten political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.

?This manner of crying wolf where there is none does not make the president look good and only betrays a sense of panic,? the ADC warned.

The ADC also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and reject what it described as underhand tactics to de-legitimise the opposition and silence alternative voices.

?The health of our democracy depends on a free, open, and competitive political environment,? the party asserted.

Additionally, the ADC called on the international community, democratic governments, international observers, and human rights organisations to closely monitor Nigeria?s political environment.

?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 statement added.

The ADC reiterated its commitment to building a better Nigeria through peaceful and democratic means, emphasising its dedication to ‘peace, participation, and the power of the people.’

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