The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to comments made by Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), regarding a recent Supreme Court verdict. Okonkwo suggested that President Bola Tinubu could now “rule Nigeria with the military” following the court’s decision on the emergency rule in Rivers State. The APC has described these remarks as “reckless and misleading.”
According to Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the party’s spokesman, the Supreme Court verdict was a lawful interpretation of the Nigerian Constitution and did not suspend democracy in Rivers State. Oladejo emphasized that court decisions, although sometimes disappointing to political actors, are binding on all in a constitutional democracy. He noted that a Supreme Court judgment is the highest expression of constitutional authority and is neither a military fiat nor an executive directive.
The APC spokesman pointed out that President Tinubu has not sought or exercised extra-constitutional powers, citing his established democratic credentials and history of opposing military dictatorship. Oladejo accused Okonkwo of attempting to delegitimize the judiciary and sow fear among the populace by suggesting that the president would govern by military proxy.
The APC views Okonkwo’s comments as part of a larger pattern of opposition rhetoric, where unfavorable court verdicts are met with cries of dictatorship and attempts to undermine confidence in the courts. This, according to the party, constitutes a significant danger to Nigeria’s nascent democracy. Oladejo emphasized that Nigeria remains a constitutional democracy governed by laws, institutions, and the separation of powers, with the military under civilian control as prescribed by the Constitution.
The Lagos APC has called on Nigerians to condemn the opposition’s rhetoric, describing it as a new low. The party reiterated that Supreme Court verdicts are instruments of justice, strengthening democracy rather than destroying it. The APC’s response highlights the ongoing debate about the role of the judiciary in Nigeria’s democratic system and the need for political actors to respect the rule of law.
