The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of displaying what it described as a “history of incompetence” and a lack of tolerance for constructive criticism.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged killings of Christians.
Abdullahi said the Federal Government’s reaction to criticism often reflects intolerance and a misunderstanding of democratic accountability.
According to him, “Nobody is accusing this government of persecuting Christians or religious bigotry. They are missing the point. They (APC) think any form of criticism is an attack on them, and they have demonstrated historical incompetence. The type of government we have is like someone making people embarrass him.”
He stressed that the ADC does not view the U.S. declaration as political opportunism, but rather as an issue that demands responsible engagement from the Nigerian government.
“Unlike the APC, we are not seeing what’s going on—especially the declaration as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’—as opportunism. We feel embarrassed as Nigerians that outsiders are framing our security challenge along these lines that can further divide us,” Abdullahi added.
The ADC spokesman noted that while the U.S. concerns were serious, the ruling party’s defensive posture only worsened Nigeria’s image internationally.
The comments come amid growing reactions to President Trump’s warning of possible military action if the Nigerian government fails to address the alleged religious killings.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is yet to issue a detailed response to the U.S. position, though political observers have urged caution and diplomacy in managing the matter to avoid further strain on Nigeria’s foreign relations.
The ADC reiterated its call for the government to focus on national unity and security rather than viewing international observations as political attacks.
