The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted a recent column by journalist Lasisi Olagunju, titled Monday Lines, describing it as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s democratic realities and a distortion of historical facts.
In a statement issued on January 29, 2026, and signed by its spokesman, Hon. Seye Oladejo, the party said while it acknowledged the columnist’s literary flair and use of folklore and metaphor, such stylistic devices should not be mistaken for political accuracy or historical honesty.
The APC strongly rejected what it described as an attempt to equate the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the military dictatorship of the late General Sani Abacha, calling the comparison “intellectually lazy” and “historically indefensible.”
According to the party, Abacha governed Nigeria through decrees, banned political parties, detained journalists, suppressed labour unions and ruled without elections. In contrast, it said President Tinubu emerged through a competitive multi-party electoral process and governs under a constitution that provides for judicial review, legislative oversight and electoral accountability.
“To conflate the two eras is to trivialise the suffering Nigerians endured under military rule and insult the intelligence of a politically conscious populace,” the statement said.
The Lagos APC also dismissed claims that the ruling party was responsible for internal crises within opposition parties, stressing that political parties are voluntary associations governed by their own constitutions. It noted that factional disputes and leadership crises are common in democracies and should not be attributed to the ruling party.
“Democracy guarantees the freedom of opposition parties to organise, contest elections, win or lose; it does not guarantee their survival,” the party stated, adding that political failure should not be presented as victimhood.
Reacting to the columnist’s reference to political theorist Samuel Huntington, the APC argued that Nigeria’s democratic consolidation should be assessed through the strength of its institutions rather than alarmist rhetoric. It pointed to what it described as functioning courts that rule against government, an active National Assembly, and a vibrant media landscape as evidence that Nigeria is not under dictatorship.
The party also dismissed concerns about a looming one-party state, noting that Nigeria has multiple registered political parties, opposition governors, lawmakers and states controlled by opposition parties. It argued that political defections are a matter of choice rather than coercion and should not be interpreted as evidence of authoritarianism.
The APC further stated that periods of broad political consensus, particularly during economic reforms, do not automatically translate to tyranny, citing examples from other democracies.
While acknowledging that Nigeria’s democracy is imperfect, the party insisted it remains constitutional and functional. It warned that reckless rhetoric could weaken democratic institutions by eroding public confidence.
“Nigeria did not fight military rule to romanticise it in hindsight,” the statement concluded. “What exists today is a democracy still finding its rhythm — noisy, imperfect and contested, but constitutional. And that distinction matters.”
