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By Oscar Okhifo
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that the recent arrest and planned trial of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by the United States serves as a stark lesson for Nigeria, exposing the moral vacuum in the country’s leadership and highlighting the risks faced by governments built on contested mandates and electoral malpractice.
In Abuja on Monday, the ADC said the events in Venezuela have shattered the notion that national borders can indefinitely protect leaders accused of electoral fraud, repression, and abuse of power.
The party described the arrests as a warning to governments that rely on contested mandates and coercion rather than the freely expressed will of their citizens.
Criticizing Nigeria’s response or lack thereof, the party said the government’s silence more than 48 hours after the arrests was “deeply embarrassing” and damaging to the country’s international reputation.
It noted that Nigeria’s muted posture stands in stark contrast to global reactions and reflects a troubling retreat from moral leadership.
The ADC further suggested that the government’s hesitation to comment may be motivated by fear rather than diplomacy, warning that leaders presiding over disputed elections and shrinking civic space increasingly perceive global accountability as a personal threat.
While affirming the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the affairs of other states, the party argued that these doctrines were never intended to shield tyranny or protect stolen mandates.
“Governments that undermine their own laws and trample citizens’ rights inevitably invite external scrutiny.” the ADC said.
The party highlighted that Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election was widely condemned by regional governments, the European Union, and international democratic institutions, underscoring a growing global determination to challenge authoritarianism disguised as electoral politics.
The ADC’s statement reads in part:
“The African Democratic Congress considers the United States’ arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife a clear warning to the Nigerian government and any other administration lacking legitimacy.
” While sovereignty and non-interference underpin global peace, these principles should not shield tyranny or electoral fraud.
“The Venezuelan elections of 2024 were widely condemned, marked by fraud, repression, and exclusion. Political opponents were barred, peaceful protests met with violence, and state institutions were weaponized against citizens, causing mass migration that undermines regional stability.”
The party said that the spontaneous public celebrations in Venezuela following the arrests highlighted the deep legitimacy crisis facing the Maduro regime, describing it as a powerful indictment of a government that has lost the consent of the governed.
More than 48 hours after the arrests, the ADC said it finds it “deeply embarrassing” that the Nigerian government has remained silent.
The party argued that the inaction of the APC-led administration reflects a moral crisis that undermines Nigeria’s global and domestic influence under President Bola Tinubu.
“At a moment when the world is balancing sovereignty, democracy, and accountability, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest democracy, is conspicuously absent.
“This silence is not neutrality; it exposes a government crippled by a crisis of integrity and confidence,” the statement added.
The ADC reiterated that sovereignty must flow from the will of the people, insisting that democracy must deliver tangible freedoms, fairness, and improved quality of life, not just periodic elections stripped of credibility.
“In this context, the situation in Venezuela serves as a cautionary tale to all dictators and election riggers. The world is watching, and contrived mandates will no longer find a place to hide.
“The era of unaccountable power is closing, and governments undermining democracy may soon find that the shield of sovereignty offers little protection,” the party concluded.
As at when this report was being filed, no response had proceeded from neither the presidency nor the ruling APC.