Lagos APC Condemns #FreeNnamdiKanu Protest, Accuses Opposition of Political Manipulation

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanu protests across parts of the country, describing them as politically motivated and orchestrated attempts by opposition figures to destabilize the nation.

In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Hon. Seye Oladejo, the party said the demonstrations were not genuine calls for justice but “a dangerous display of reckless politics carefully scripted by desperate opposition figures who see chaos as their last political weapon.”

The APC said it found it “deeply disturbing” that some opposition leaders were allegedly sponsoring and endorsing the protests, likening their actions to “the Biblical hand of Jacob but the voice of Esau”, suggesting deceit and manipulation disguised as activism.

According to the party, the protests represent “political frustration” and “an attempt by those rejected at the polls to exploit national issues for cheap relevance.”

Oladejo accused the organizers of insensitivity, saying they were mocking the memories of victims of violence in the South East and disregarding the region’s long struggle with insecurity, kidnappings, and enforced sit-at-home orders.

“For years, ordinary citizens in the South East have lived in fear, traders afraid to open their shops, transporters grounded by threats, children deprived of education, and families shattered by insecurity. Yet, instead of helping to heal these wounds, these political opportunists have returned to fan the embers of division,” the statement read.

The Lagos APC reaffirmed that the case of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, remained a judicial matter before the courts and cautioned against attempts to influence the process through protests or street actions.

The statement also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for fostering inclusivity and infrastructural development in the South East under the Renewed Hope Agenda, urging Nigerians to embrace peace and cooperation.

“The Lagos APC therefore calls on security agencies to remain vigilant, and on all patriotic Nigerians, especially leaders of thought in the South East, to reject the antics of those who traffic in bitterness,” Oladejo said.

He added that “there must indeed be a limit to bitter politics.”