The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says the federal government should clarify the true nature of the alleged coup and “address the nation transparently if any threat truly exists”.

There have been reports claiming that the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary events was linked to an alleged military coup attempt.

The federal government had cancelled the parade to celebrate the country’s 65th independence anniversary on October 1.

But the defence headquarters (DHQ) had dismissed the reports, saying the cancellation had no links with the alleged coup attempt.

In a statement on Monday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s national publicity secretary, said while the party condemns any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic order, the government must not exploit the situation to instil fear or pursue political advantage under the guise of national security.

“The ADC has been following reports of an alleged coup plot involving some arrested military officers and claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly funding them,” the statement reads.

“While we strongly oppose any action that threatens Nigeria’s constitutional order, we are equally worried about the possibility of using such allegations to justify political witch-hunts, suppress dissent, or manipulate public opinion.”

Abdullahi said the conflicting statements from government sources—especially after the defence headquarters denied knowledge of any coup plot—raised serious concerns about the credibility of the reports.

He noted that the federal government’s “silence” on the matter had allowed the rumour to spread unchecked, fuelling suspicion that it may be politically motivated.

“What appears clear is that the government is using the coup narrative to divert attention from widespread misgovernance and to curry public sympathy,” he said.