The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that Nigeria’s democracy is facing an “existential threat,” describing the assertion as alarmist and politically motivated.
In a statement on Wednesday, the party said Atiku’s comments were ironic, coming from what it described as a political tendency that had repeatedly tested and strained democratic institutions in the past.
The Lagos APC also took aim at the African Democratic Congress (ADC), from which the criticism was amplified, describing the party as ideologically uncertain and struggling for relevance after failing to win the confidence of Nigerians at the polls.
According to the APC, Nigeria’s democracy has continued to function effectively since the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, with elections conducted, courts adjudicating disputes, the legislature exercising oversight, and citizens enjoying constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
“The opposition has spoken freely, protested freely, and litigated freely—hardly the attributes of a nation under democratic siege,” the statement said.
The ruling party argued that what is being portrayed as a threat to democracy is, in reality, the opposition’s growing loss of political relevance. It added that internal contradictions and unchecked ambition within the ADC-led coalition could lead to its eventual collapse.
The Lagos APC further noted that winning and losing are integral parts of the democratic process, stressing that democracy does not collapse because personal ambitions are frustrated.
Reaffirming its confidence in the current administration, the party said Nigeria’s democracy remains resilient and firmly anchored under President Tinubu’s leadership, adding that ongoing reforms are rooted in constitutional order, the rule of law, and democratic accountability.
The party advised Atiku Abubakar and his political allies to “confront reality honestly,” insisting that Nigeria’s democracy is not collapsing and that Nigerians have moved on from what it described as politics of fear and alarmism.
