The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to Lasisi Olagunju’s Monday Lines, praising the columnist’s literary flair, rich metaphors, and use of folklore, but cautioning that poetry, however elegant, cannot substitute for political accuracy or historical fact.
Mogaji (Hon.) Seye Oladejo, Spokesman for Lagos APC, emphasized in a press release on Monday that attempts to equate Nigeria’s constitutional democracy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the brutal military regime of Sani Abacha are historically indefensible and represent a classic case of false equivalence.
“Abacha ruled through decrees, banned political parties, detained journalists, silenced labour unions, and dismantled democratic institutions,” Oladejo said. “President Tinubu, by contrast, governs under a constitution freely adopted by Nigerians, was elected through a competitive multi-party process, and remains accountable to the judiciary, legislature, and electorate. To conflate these realities trivializes the suffering endured under military rule and undermines the intelligence of Nigeria’s politically conscious citizens.”
The APC also rejected claims that internal divisions within opposition parties are the product of a ruling-party “inferno.” “Political parties are voluntary associations governed by their own constitutions. Leadership disputes, factionalism, and litigation are common in democracies worldwide and long predate this administration,” Oladejo explained. “Blaming the APC for opposition challenges is an abdication of responsibility, not analysis.”
“Democracy guarantees freedom to organize, contest, win, or lose—not immunity from failure,” he added. “The APC neither appoints opposition leaders nor drafts their constitutions. Political setbacks are not evidence of victimhood.”
The statement also addressed selective scholarly references, noting that while authors like Samuel Huntington are cited, the central thesis of The Third Wave—that democratic consolidation relies on institutions, elections, and civic engagement—is often ignored.
Today, Nigeria has functioning courts that routinely rule against government actions, a National Assembly that scrutinizes legislation, and a vibrant media landscape that publishes critical reports without fear—hallmarks of a functioning democracy, not dictatorship.
Oladejo further dismissed claims that Nigeria is sliding toward a one-party state. “The country has more than a dozen registered political parties, opposition governors, lawmakers, and opposition-led states. Political realignments are matters of choice and strategy, not coercion. Defections are political decisions, not coups,” he said.
The APC also countered suggestions that national consensus on reform equates to tyranny. “Broad elite alignment during periods of economic or structural transition is common in stable democracies, from post-war Europe to emerging Asian nations. Consensus can promote stability; it does not signify autocracy.”
The Lagos APC concluded by reaffirming its support for robust opposition and constructive dissent, but stressed that such dissent must be rooted in facts, not fear; in analysis, not alarmism. “Nigeria’s democracy is imperfect, noisy, and contested—but it is alive, constitutional, and evolving.
History teaches that democracies are weakened not only by authoritarian overreach but also by reckless rhetoric that delegitimizes institutions. When everything is labeled tyranny, nothing retains meaning,” Oladejo said.
“Abacha’s regime is gone, but what remains is a democracy still finding its rhythm—messy, vibrant, and constitutional. That distinction matters.”
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