The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government over its continued silence following the arrest of Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, by the United States, describing Nigeria’s lack of response as embarrassing and unbefitting of its status as a leading African nation.
The opposition party said the development, which has drawn global reactions, presents a defining moment in international politics and exposes what it described as Nigeria’s declining influence on the global stage under the Bola Tinubu administration.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the government’s failure to comment more than 48 hours after the incident was a clear indication that Nigeria had lost both voice and standing in global affairs.
“The African Democratic Congress considers Saturday’s action by the United States Government to arrest the President of Venezuela, Nicholas Maduro, and his wife as a clear warning that sends a strong message to the Nigerian government and any other government that lacks legitimacy,” Abdullahi said.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested on Saturday during a US military operation and were airlifted to New York to face charges bordering on drug trafficking and arms offences.
The operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, reportedly involved coordinated airstrikes and ground raids across several Venezuelan states, including Caracas, Miranda, and Aragua.
Reacting to the development, the ADC said while it supports the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference, such doctrines should not be used as shields for electoral fraud, repression and abuse of power.
“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,” the party stated.
“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,” the party’s publicity secretary said.
The party also referenced the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election, which it said was widely condemned by several countries and international institutions as flawed and illegitimate, noting that political opponents were excluded, protests were violently suppressed and state institutions were weaponised.
It further argued that the public celebrations that reportedly followed Maduro’s arrest revealed a deeper crisis of legitimacy within his administration.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC linked Nigeria’s silence to what it described as a moral and credibility crisis within the Tinubu-led administration, insisting that the country no longer commands respect in global diplomatic circles.
“Let’s be clear: the Nigerian government’s choice of silence at this moment has nothing to do with neutrality. Instead, it reveals a government that lacks confidence simply because it lacks integrity,” he added.
Abdullahi, who also spoke on Politics Today on Channels Television on Tuesday, lamented what he described as Nigeria’s disappearance from major global conversations, despite its historical role as a leading voice in Africa and West Africa.
“What happened last Saturday is a defining moment in international politics, one that has serious implications for the global world order,” he said.
“This is the Nigeria of Jaja Wachuku. This is the Nigeria of Joseph Garba. This is the Nigeria where Nigerian leaders stood on the world stage and took clear positions on issues,” he added.
He noted that many countries in the West African sub-region had already expressed their positions on the crisis in Venezuela, either in support or opposition, while Nigeria remained silent.
“It doesn’t matter whether Nigeria sees it differently or agrees with what others are saying. What we have seen is that Nigeria is nowhere to be found. Nigeria has not said anything,” Abdullahi said.
He further linked Nigeria’s muted response to what he described as vulnerability following the government’s decision to invite US forces to conduct military operations in Nigeria in December 2025.
“By inviting a foreign army to invade your country for whatever reason or to drop bombs, you have already rendered yourself vulnerable,” he said.
The ADC warned that Nigeria’s silence sends the wrong signal at a time when the world is grappling with questions of sovereignty, democracy and accountability, stressing that the country risks losing its moral authority to speak on international issues. The party concluded that the situation in Venezuela should serve as a warning to leaders who emerge through compromised electoral processes.
“The African Democratic Congress stands for the principle that sovereignty must ultimately reflect the will of the people, not merely the survival of a regime,” the statement said.
“In Nigeria, in Venezuela, and across the world, democracy must mean more than ballots. It must translate to freedom, fairness, and a better life for the citizens.”
