Renowned scholar and Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Dr. Sam Amadi, warned on Thursday that recent Supreme Court pronouncements are dangerous for the development of democracy and sustainable peace. He was reacting to the Court’s decisions concerning the leadership crisis in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its rulings in Akwa Ibom and Kebbi states, where the apex court declared former governor Godswill Akpabio and Senate President Ahmad Lawal as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidates.
Amadi also cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against any association with platforms controlled by the National Union of Road Transport Workers’ Lagos State Council chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo), in the distribution of voting materials. At a press conference in Abuja, he asserted that the Supreme Court’s pronouncements effectively usurped INEC’s duties. “INEC must not be told that any association with MC Oluomo’s platform is a risk; rather, it must take all necessary steps to maintain its credibility,” he said. “Dealing with MC Oluomo’s controlled platform negates objectivity and neutrality.”
Amadi called for decisive action from INEC in two specific cases. First, he urged the commission to disengage the road‑transport union from the distribution of materials in Lagos State, given MC Oluomo’s overt involvement in President Bola Tinubu’s campaign. Second, he demanded that INEC immediately affirm the Supreme Court’s decision in the APGA leadership dispute.
The Abuja School and its partners have been analysing recent court decisions affecting elections and are concerned that the judiciary is increasingly encroaching on the electoral process. “This is dangerous for democracy and sustainable peace,” Amadi warned. “The electoral process must reflect the will of the people and allow them to choose their leaders freely. Strengthening this process is essential to prevent post‑election violence.”
Amadi highlighted the controversy surrounding the courts’ role in managing electoral disputes. He cited the Supreme Court’s recent declaration that former Governor Akpabio is the lawful Senate candidate in Akwa Ibom—a decision that contradicted INEC’s report that Akpabio did not contest the proper primary. “Such interventions suggest a usurpation of party members’ right to elect their candidates,” he argued. He also referenced the case of the Senate President, who was imposed as a candidate despite not contesting the Senate race because he was involved in his party’s presidential primary. “The court’s imposition on internal party affairs, based merely on procedural technicalities, exposes the highest court to accusations of overstepping its mandate and undermining voter autonomy.”
Finally, Amadi noted that the leadership dispute within APGA further erodes confidence in the judiciary’s role in the electoral process, emphasizing the need for clear separation between judicial rulings and electoral administration.
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