President Bola Tinubu
Nigeria’s failure to take a clear position on the unfolding crisis in Venezuela has drawn sharp criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which says President Bola Tinubu led administration has reduced the country to a silent bystander on the global stage.
The party described Abuja’s continued silence as embarrassing and inconsistent with Nigeria’s historic role as a moral and diplomatic leader in Africa and the West African sub-region.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Tuesday, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Tinubu-led government has allowed Nigeria’s international influence to wither at a critical moment in global affairs.
According to him, the crisis in Venezuela represents a turning point in international politics, yet Nigeria — once known for taking firm and principled positions — has failed to say a word.
“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 recalled a time when Nigeria was respected globally for its courage and clarity in foreign policy, contrasting that era with what he described as the current administration’s timidity.
“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 several West African countries had already expressed views on the developments in Venezuela — whether in support of or opposition to the actions taken — while Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, remained conspicuously absent from the conversation.
“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 spokesperson also questioned President Tinubu’s silence on the issue, criticising the Presidency for announcing the President’s foreign engagements without offering any clarity on Nigeria’s position regarding the Venezuela crisis.
Abdullahi further linked the government’s muted response to earlier security decisions, referencing the December 2025 invitation 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.
*US Attack on Venezuela*
On January 3, 2026, the United States launched a large-scale military operation in Venezuela, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The operation reportedly involved coordinated airstrikes and ground raids across several Venezuelan states, including Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua. Maduro and Flores were arrested during a predawn raid at his residence in Fort Tiuna.
After being flown to New York, both were indicted on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking offences. Maduro pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Monday, January 5, describing himself as a “prisoner of war”.
The action has attracted widespread international condemnation, with the United Nations, China, Russia, Mexico and Spain denouncing it as a violation of international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Despite the growing global outcry and reactions from countries across different continents, Nigeria — under President Tinubu — has yet to issue any official statement, a silence critics say speaks volumes about the country’s shrinking relevance in global diplomacy.
