Lagos APC Dismisses Lasisi Olagunju’s Column, Says Criticism Reflects Opposition’s Political Exhaustion

Party says claims of “imperial presidency” are exaggerated, disrespect democratic institutions, and ignore Tinubu’s reform record

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed a recent column by Lasisi Olagunju, describing it as an expression of political frustration rather than serious or objective analysis.

In a statement issued on February 4, 2026, the party’s spokesman, Mogaji (Hon.) Seye Oladejo, said the commentary represents an attempt by a weakened opposition to repackage electoral failure as moral outrage.

According to the Lagos APC, the column relies heavily on dramatic metaphors and selective references while offering little substance or factual grounding relevant to Nigeria’s present democratic realities.

The party rejected claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reception by ministers and senior government officials after official engagements amounts to monarchical behaviour or idolatry, noting that such protocol is routine practice in democracies around the world.

Oladejo said it is neither unusual nor undemocratic for a sitting president to be received by members of the executive arm of government, adding that portraying standard state etiquette as evidence of authoritarianism stretches logic beyond credibility.

He argued that the criticism reflects deeper discomfort with the collapse of viable political alternatives to President Tinubu’s leadership, noting that failure at the ballot box should not be repackaged as institutional alarmism.

The Lagos APC described President Tinubu’s political history as one rooted in resistance to authoritarianism, decentralisation of power, and the strengthening of democratic institutions, pointing to Lagos State’s governance record as evidence.

For more than two decades, the statement noted, Lagos has sustained competitive elections, an independent judiciary, vibrant opposition politics, and institutional continuity, describing this record as a direct rebuttal to claims of democratic erosion.

The party also condemned suggestions that Nigeria’s legislature and judiciary are subservient to the executive, describing such assertions as unfair to the institutions and professionals who uphold constitutional governance.

According to Oladejo, disagreement with outcomes does not amount to institutional capture, adding that democracy does not guarantee unanimity or personal satisfaction with every decision.

He accused Olagunju of selective outrage, questioning the absence of similar criticism during previous administrations when executive interference in democratic institutions was more pronounced.

The Lagos APC also criticised what it described as the tendency to elevate foreign academic opinion while dismissing the judgment of Nigerian voters, stressing that President Tinubu was elected through a competitive process that has been repeatedly affirmed by the courts.

Oladejo said respect accorded to leadership should not be mischaracterised as worship, especially in the context of ongoing economic and governance reforms.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration has restored seriousness to governance, stabilised a drifting economy, and embarked on difficult but necessary reforms to reposition the country.

“These are outcomes of leadership, not acts of idolatry,” the statement said.

Looking ahead, the Lagos APC said political power in a democracy is earned through organisation, credibility, and public trust, not through media pressure, rhetorical intimidation, or moral grandstanding.

The party warned that reliance on shrill commentary and theatrical despair cannot substitute for vision, structure, or electoral appeal, noting that Nigerians remain capable of distinguishing between constructive criticism and political contrivance.

It added that the 2027 general elections will again be decided by voters, not columnists or self-appointed arbiters of democracy.

The Lagos APC reaffirmed that it remains focused on governance, delivery, and democratic consolidation, stressing that it will not be distracted by those who, having lost public confidence, now quarrel with reality.