Opposition Behind US ‘Country of Particular Concern’ Tag, Blames Them For Spreading ‘Genocide Claims’ Abroad

The controversy surrounding the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious freedom violations has taken a partisan turn, with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, publicly accusing the political opposition of orchestrating the crisis.

Speaking in Abuja, Minister Wike declared today, Monday, November 3, 2025, that the opposition forces have been actively engaged in propagating false narratives of “Christian Genocide” to international entities like the United States government, with the deliberate goal of sabotaging the current administration.

“It is obvious that the opposition in this country are the ones behind all these claims and allegations of Christian persecution and genocide being peddled to the United States,” Wike stated. “They are playing dangerous politics with the security and sovereignty of our nation just because they want to gain cheap political points against the government of President Bola Tinubu.”

Wike, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who is currently serving in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, stressed that while Nigeria faces genuine security challenges, these issues are criminal and banditry-related, affecting all citizens regardless of their faith. He argued that the opposition has deliberately exploited these complex security issues to present a simplistic and inflammatory narrative of religious intolerance to Western powers, knowing the impact such a designation would have on Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic standing.

A Clash of Political Narratives

Wike’s strong accusation comes as the Nigerian government officially denies the CPC tag, maintaining that it protects the rights of all citizens to practice their faith freely. The President’s spokespersons previously indicated that a diplomatic engagement with the U.S. was necessary to “clarify” Nigeria’s position.

However, Wike’s counterpart in the opposition, including the 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, offered a sharply different perspective. Obi released a statement today that firmly placed the blame for the designation on the door of the ruling party, stating that the CPC status was a direct “consequence of the lack and absence of competence and commitment” by the APC-led government to effectively govern and secure the lives and property of Nigerians.

The conflicting statements underscore how deeply the U.S. designation has polarized the country’s political landscape, transforming a diplomatic crisis into a domestic political weapon ahead of the next electoral cycle.