The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticized the ongoing nationwide demonstrations under the banner of the #FreeNnamdiKanu movement, describing them as politically motivated and designed to destabilize the country.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the party said the protests represent “the hand of Jacob and the voice of Esau,” alleging that they were orchestrated by “desperate opposition figures” hiding behind the guise of activism to pursue a partisan agenda.
Oladejo stated that while freedom of expression and peaceful assembly remain constitutional rights in a democracy, the current protests “are far from a legitimate call for justice” and instead amount to “a dangerous display of reckless politics.”
He said:
“This so-called protest is not about justice; it is about political frustration. It represents the height of bitter, destructive politics — an attempt by those who have been roundly rejected by Nigerians at the polls to exploit national issues in search of cheap relevance.”
According to him, some opposition leaders “who should know better” have chosen to sponsor and endorse what he described as “street theatrics,” exposing the protests as an exercise in deceitful manipulation rather than civic engagement.
Oladejo continued:
“Their involvement reveals what can only be described as a classic case of the Biblical hand of Jacob but the voice of Esau — a deceitful manipulation hiding behind the façade of activism. But let them be reminded: they will not gain in the streets what they have disgracefully lost at the polls.”
He condemned the organizers’ “insensitivity” in reviving divisive agitations at a time when the South-East continues to suffer from the consequences of violence, kidnappings, and economic paralysis caused by years of unrest.
“They ignore the tears of widows, the pains of orphans, and the devastation of communities ruined by senseless violence. Their protest is not a demand for justice; it is a betrayal of the sacrifices of the innocent,” he said.
The APC spokesman reiterated that the case involving Mr. Nnamdi Kanu remains a judicial matter squarely within the purview of the courts, stressing that “no one is above the law” and that Nigeria’s judiciary is competent and independent enough to adjudicate the matter without mob interference.
He lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its inclusivity under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the South-East has continued to benefit from federal appointments and infrastructural development.
“True progress will come not from chaos but from cooperation and peace,” Oladejo stated.
The Lagos APC called on security agencies to remain alert and urged leaders across the South-East and other parts of the country to resist “the antics of those who traffic in bitterness.”
“Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we must not allow political desperation to tear it apart. There must indeed be a limit to bitter politics,” the statement concluded.#newsafro_
