The African Democratic Congress has described the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela as a warning Nigeria must not ignore, criticising the Federal Government for what it termed its prolonged silence over the arrest and prosecution of Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, by the United States.
The party said Nigeria’s failure to comment on the development, unlike the reactions seen from several countries and international leaders, was embarrassing and pointed to a steady decline in the country’s moral and diplomatic standing under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the arrest of Maduro highlighted increasing global resistance to illegitimate governments and flawed electoral systems.
Maduro was arrested on Saturday during a United States military operation authorised by President Donald Trump. He and his wife, Cilia Flores, were later airlifted to New York City, where they are expected to face charges related to drug trafficking and arms offences.
Reacting to the development, the ADC accused the Nigerian government of deliberately avoiding public comment, alleging that the silence was driven by fear that President Tinubu could one day face similar international scrutiny.
The party stated that while it strongly supports the principles of national sovereignty and non interference in the internal affairs of states, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter, such principles should not be used to shield tyranny, electoral malpractice or the denial of citizens’ democratic rights.
The ADC recalled that Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election was widely condemned by Latin American governments, the European Union and international democratic bodies over allegations of fraud, repression and the exclusion of opposition candidates.
It noted that the suppression of protests, abuse of state institutions and political exclusion had triggered mass migration, undermining regional stability.
While acknowledging that the United States intervention raised serious international law concerns, the party said public celebrations following Maduro’s arrest exposed a deep legitimacy crisis within his administration.
