Nigerian Political Party ADC Questions Government's Security Priorities Following Benin Intervention

ABUJA, Nigeria — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has praised Nigeria's quick response to the recent coup attempt in the neighboring Benin Republic while simultaneously using that action to highlight the government's perceived failures in addressing domestic insecurity.

In a statement released on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party commended the Federal Government for "acting promptly to defend constitutional order" in Benin. However, it immediately pivoted to a pointed critique of the administration's handling of internal security crises.

Abdullahi questioned the inconsistency in the government's decisiveness, asking, "If Nigeria could respond decisively to threats abroad, why has it failed to protect citizens from banditry and terrorism at home?" He argued that the ability to act swiftly abroad "highlights the slow and haphazard response to domestic insecurity devastating communities" across Nigeria.

A Call for Constitutional Alignment and Consistent Policy

The ADC statement also raised a procedural concern regarding the Benin intervention. It noted that while the President's "unilateral action... might have been expedient," military deployment outside Nigeria's borders requires ratification by the National Assembly as provided by the constitution. "The government must now take steps to align foreign interventions with constitutional provisions," Abdullahi stated.

The party further called for consistency in foreign policy, questioning why Nigeria had not acted with similar urgency during the recent coup in Guinea-Bissau, "even when a former Nigerian President was at risk."

Linking Security to Democratic Survival

The ADC framed its critique within the broader context of democratic resilience in West Africa, a region that has seen a wave of military takeovers. The party stressed that "the best safeguard for democracy is good governance anchored on improved livelihoods and tolerance for opposition."

Abdullahi emphasized that defending democracy must begin at home: "Defending democracy begins with protecting lives, restoring security, and rebuilding trust between citizens and the state." He concluded that elected governments must make democracy meaningful through tangible governance and by allowing political opposition to thrive.

The ADC's statement reflects a growing domestic political narrative that contrasts Nigeria's active regional security role with the persistent violence within its own borders.

*Source: Politics Nigeria.*

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