The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has blasted the Federal Government over Nigeria’s continued silence on the non-diplomatic events happening in Venezuela, describing it a national embarrassment and a disgrace to the country’s standing as Africa’s supposed leader.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Nigeria has lost its moral authority and diplomatic relevance under the current administration, even as world powers take firm positions on what he described as a defining moment in global history.
“Let’s put politics aside. As citizens, we feel embarrassed that all these things are happening, and Nigeria has no voice in it. What can objectively be seen today is that under this current administration, Nigeria has lost its stand as a leading voice on the African continent, as a matter of fact, as a leading voice in this West African sub-region.
“What happened last Saturday is a defining moment in international politics, one that has serious implications for the global world order, perhaps since the Second World War,” he said.
Abdullahi lamented that Nigeria, once known for strong and principled foreign policy decisions, now appears invisible on the global stage.
“This is Nigeria that we are talking about. This is the Nigeria of Jaja Wachuku. This is the Nigeria of Joseph Garba. This is the Nigeria where Nigerian leaders stood on the world stage and took clear positions on issues,” he said.
He noted that while several West African countries have openly taken positions on the Venezuela crisis, Nigeria has remained conspicuously silent.
“It doesn’t matter whether Nigeria sees it differently or agrees with what others are saying. What we have seen is that Nigeria is nowhere to be found. Nigeria has not said anything. If that does not embarrass you as a citizen, it embarrasses us.
“The diminution of Nigeria on the international stage is an anomaly. It is an embarrassment. It is not befitting of a country like ours that should ordinarily be a leader on the African continent,” he said.
The ADC spokesman also questioned President Bola Tinubu’s silence, criticising the State House for focusing on announcing presidential travel plans rather than articulating Nigeria’s stance on the crisis.
Abdullahi further linked Nigeria’s muted posture to its earlier security decisions, referencing the December 2025 invitation extended to United States forces to conduct military operations in Nigeria.
“By inviting a foreign army to invade your country for whatever reason or to drop bombs, you have already rendered yourself vulnerable. Perhaps this is the reason they are not able to say anything.
“The only explanation for Nigeria’s embarrassing silence at this time is that our government does not have the self-confidence to say anything. It can sense its own vulnerability and therefore does not have the moral courage,” he said.
The ADC’s criticism comes amid global outrage over the January 3, 2026 US military operation in Venezuela, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, which reportedly led to the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The operation involved coordinated airstrikes and ground raids across Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua, with Maduro and Flores captured during a predawn raid at his Fort Tiuna residence.
They were subsequently flown to New York and indicted on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking offences. Maduro pleaded not guilty in court on Monday, January 5, describing himself as a “prisoner of war”.
The action has drawn sharp condemnation from the United Nations, China, Russia, Mexico and Spain, all of whom described it as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.
Yet, despite the global backlash, Nigeria’s voice remains absent, a silence the ADC says is both shocking and humiliating.
