The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the silence of President Bola Tinubu and his government over recent developments in Venezuela, describing it as embarrassing and damaging to Nigeria’s international standing.
In a statement issued by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, the party said the action taken by President Donald Trump of the United States, against Nicolas Maduro and his wife should serve as a warning to governments it described as lacking legitimacy.
The party said the failure of Nigeria to react more than 48 hours after the development could only be explained by what it called President Tinubu’s personal fear.
Part of the statement read: “The ADC considers Saturday’s action by the United States government to arrest the president of Venezuela and his wife as a clear warning that sends a strong message to the Nigerian government and any other government that lacks legitimacy.
“ADC strongly supports the principles of the sanctity of national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of another country, as enshrined in Articles 2(1) and 2(4) of the United Nations Charter.
“Nevertheless, we maintain that these international governance doctrines should not be invoked to provide a safe haven for tyranny, electoral fraud, or the systematic denial of a people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
“It is public knowledge that the 2024 Venezuela presidential elections were widely condemned as illegitimate and deeply flawed, marked by fraud, repression and exclusion.”
The party said the celebration by citizens following the development exposed what it described as the legitimacy crisis of the Maduro government.
“When citizens pour into the streets in celebration, it reveals more than approval of an intervention; it exposes the bankruptcy of the regime that has been upended,” the party noted.
The ADC said Nigeria’s silence shows that the country has lost its voice and influence under the current administration.
“At a moment when the world is grappling with the difficult balance between sovereignty, democracy and accountability, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is conspicuously absent.
“Let’s be clear, the Nigerian government’s choice of silence has nothing to do with neutrality; it reveals a government that lacks confidence simply because it lacks integrity.
“In Nigeria, in Venezuela and across the world, democracy must mean more than ballots and electoralism; it must translate to freedom, fairness and a happier life for citizens,” the party said.
The party described the situation in Venezuela as a cautionary tale for dictators and election riggers globally, adding that contrived mandates will no longer find a place to hide.
