Segun Sowunmi, the spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, asserted that the party adheres to the rule of law and respects court orders, unlike its rival, the ruling All‑Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Thursday night, Sowunmi addressed the recent suspension of former chairman Iyorchia Ayu and the reversal of suspensions for other party members, describing these actions as evidence of the PDP’s commitment to democratic principles.
“You know the difference between the PDP and our friends, the APC,” Sowunmi said. “As a habit, we strive to obey court orders, even when they are offensive or have far‑reaching consequences for us. When we make a decision and face criticism—‘You can’t go this way, you can’t go that way’—our democratic nature is shown by our willingness to call ourselves out.” He explained that the suspensions of Fayose and others were unpopular within the party because, after challenging an election in court, the PDP did not want to appear to be harming itself or assigning blame before a review of that election. “It may have seemed like victimisation, especially given entrenched interests,” he added. “We raised our concerns, and fortunately the National Working Committee conducted a second review of the order and lifted the suspension.”
Sowunmi also highlighted instances of the APC’s disregard for court rulings, citing the federal government’s prolonged non‑compliance with a Supreme Court order directing the Central Bank of Nigeria to recirculate old naira notes, as well as the contempt charge against Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa. He concluded that democracy thrives when all parties obey the rule of law: “Democracy is not pretty. It is a heavy contestation of ideas, moods, inflections, attitudes, human behavior, and characteristics. But one thing is certain—democracy flourishes when we obey the rule of law.”
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