Ever since it became the ruling party in Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress has demonstrated an uncanny disrespect for the principles of democracy and by implication a disregard for the rule of law.From 2015 to 2023 , while Muhammadu Buhari was president, the APC was governed by the notion of providing shelter for political criminals. As Comrade Oshiomole, the National Chairman of APC at the time shamelessly put it, "if EFCC is after you, defect to APC and all your sins will be forgiven."
Many politicians including Senator Akpabio, Senator, Ogunlewe and Senator Obanikoro; all with cases of theft, graft, embezzlement, and sundry Economic and Financial crimes, took the offer. True to its demonic promise, their criminal cases were suspended indefinitely or forgotten entirely since they became members of the APC. Jumped at the offer.
On his part, President Buhari took full advantage of his Party's lawlessness. He ordered the printing of money by the Central Bank without supporting economic activity or collateral backing. He borrowed money freely from the International Monetary Fund without a plan of repayment, and without approval from the National Assembly. He jettisoned the policy of National Character and appointed only people from his Fulani ethnic group into all key National positions.
President Buhari's practice of abuse of democracy continued and even became exacerbated under his successor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In 2020 as he prepared for his run for President, Tinubu and Sanwo Olu, his Lagos State puppet governor, authorized a brutal assault on #EndSars protesters, killing an unknown number of young people who were exercising their democratic rights to protest against police brutality.
As President in August 2023, Tinubu showed his reactionary traits again when he unleashed police and military attack on peaceful protests against bad governance. His intolerance for Democratic expression of descent was again demonstrated a few months later in December.
That December, across the country, Nigerians of all stripes came out again to express their discontent over the way Tinubu was governing the country. They demanded that the president should do something about stifling hunger and growing poverty, unemployment, and sweeping insecurity to life and property.
His response was to send security forces after the protesters. Hundreds of them, including civil society members and media personnel were harassed and arrested. Children as young as twelve years old were handcuffed and thrown into detention and tried in court as adults. Until today, the Nigerian government cannot convince international observers and national watchdogs that it did not kill dozens of people from that protest rally.
It is in the context of this habitual erosion of democracy by APC that the conflict between Lagos Speaker, Obasa; his deputy, Meranda; and other members of the Assembly in the Lagos State House of Assembly is best understood. That political drama which played out in Lagos between January 13th and March 3rd 2025 was a classic example of the disregard for majority opinion as a determinant factor in a democratic setting.
Consider the time line: In January 2025, thirty two out of the forty members of the Lagos State Assembly decided to impeach their Speaker, Mr Mudasiru Obasa in absentia. The 32 law makers accused Obasa of financial impropriety, disrespect of members and disregard for others' opinions. The next week, Obasa arrived from his visit to America to challenge his removal.
As soon as Obasa arrived in Nigeria, he was invited for questioning by EFCC based on the allegation of Financial Crimes made against him by the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The latest of the crimes being the padding of cost of vehicle purchase for Assembly members by 2 billion naira!
Surprisingly, the invitation was withdrawn almost as soon as it was made. The public was to find out that it was no other than the First Lady who intervened and instructed the EFCC to leave Obasa alone.
Emboldened by Mrs Remi Tinubu's support, Mr Obasa went on the rampage. He amassed a group of rough supporters and held a press conference to intimate the public that he was prepared to retake his speakership by force if necessary. A few days later, he broke into the Assembly Chambers and sat over a session with only 4 of the 40 members of the Assembly in attendance.
Two days later President Tinubu got directly involved. He instructed some APC big wigs, Chief Bisi Akande , a former Osun state governor; Chief Osoba ,a former Ogun state governor; and Prince Olusi, the Chairman of Lagos State APC's Governors Advisory Council (GAC ) to ensure the reinstatement of Obasa as Speaker.
Today, Mudasiru Obasa is back in his seat as Speaker of the Lagos State Assembly in spite of a 36 to 4 votes to impeach him. This obvious erosion of democracy, a clear disregard for majority opinion, is a common practice across the board at all levels in the All Progressives Congress.
What happened in Lagos State, sidelining the voice of the majority and ignoring the interest of that majority's constituency, has become the stock in trade of the APC. It is not an isolated case
It is a practice which is grounded in the political philosophy of autocracy and demagoguery . It is a principle that has been articulated and practiced by Tinubu when he says the way to ensure electoral victory is to " grab the ballot box, seize it, and run with it ". This is not different from the position of Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of APC, who declared shamelessly
that forcing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce election results in APC's favor , as he did during the Edo State governorship election in September 2024 is a legitimate way to win.
A classic example of this type of disrespect for democracy was demonstrated just last week by Mr Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Nigerian Senate. He called for a voice vote on whether or not to reduce the length of Senator Natasha's suspension. Overwhelmingly, the Senators voted to reduce the 6 months suspension. Senate president Akpabio was taken aback by the vast support for senator Natasha. He decided to ignore the result of the vote which he himself called and jettisoned the vote of the majority of the Senators.
From Buhari's eight years in office to the current Tinubu Administration, hundreds of APC leaders have enjoyed the fruits of their castration of democracy. They have become stupendously rich and powerful and have spread their ill- gotten wealth among their supporters. They have polluted the body politc.
These people have become comfortable with the rot. They will not give up their privileged position willingly. It is therefore left to adherents of democracy and the rule of law , as well as all those who have been victims of these political vampires to get rid of them. Luckily, Nigeria is still a democracy, fledgling though it may be. General elections will take place again in 2027. That would create an opportunity for citizens of goodwill to vote out the political predators and vote in some God fearing people with a genuine commitment to rescue the country from ruination.
Dr Adetokunbo Pearse PhD . Public Affairs Analyst, Convener Reset Lagos PDP, Member Board of Governors Peoples Democratic Institute, PDI.
Friday 14th March 2025.
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