The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that no one is accusing the Federal Government of Nigeria of persecuting Christians, contrary to claims by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme monitored by DAILY POST on Tuesday.
Abdullahi made the remark while reacting to former United States President Donald Trump’s recent comment declaring Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged killings of Christians. Trump had also said he asked the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for possible military intervention if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”
Addressing the controversy, Abdullahi said the APC often misinterprets constructive criticism as a personal attack, insisting that the real issue is the government’s failure to manage Nigeria’s internal security challenges.
“Nobody is accusing this government of persecuting Christians or religious bigotry. They are missing the point,” he said. “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.”
The ADC spokesperson emphasized that the opposition party does not view the U.S. declaration as an opportunity to score political points, but rather as a moment of national reflection.
“Unlike the APC, we are not seeing what’s going on—especially the declaration as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’—as opportunism,” Abdullahi said. “We feel embarrassed as Nigerians that outsiders are framing our security challenge along these lines that can further divide us.”
Abdullahi’s remarks come amid growing international concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation and the religious undertones being attached to it by some foreign observers.
Comments