The Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured that Nigeria’s democracy would remain resilient, even if certain opposition parties failed to participate in future elections.
The statement, released on Tuesday by the party’s spokesman, Seye Oladejo, responded to concerns raised by a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which alleged threats to its electoral participation.
According to Oladejo, democracy functions within established laws and institutional frameworks, rather than through political pressure or public sentiment.
“Democracy is governed by laws and institutional procedures, not by sentiment, entitlement, or alarmist propaganda,” he said.
The APC emphasised that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) operated strictly under constitutional provisions, and all political parties were required to comply with electoral regulations.
The party noted that failure to meet these requirements would naturally incur consequences.
“Compliance is not optional. Any political party that fails to meet stipulated requirements must bear the full consequences of its own actions,” Oladejo added, stressing that no party is above the law.
The ruling party recalled its own experience during the 2019 general elections, when it was prevented from participating in Zamfara and Rivers states due to legal and procedural challenges. The APC argued that this precedent demonstrates that electoral sanctions apply equally to all parties.
Oladejo further accused opposition groups of attempting to deflect responsibility for internal challenges onto the APC.
“It is disingenuous for a faction-ridden opposition party to externalize blame and attempt to cast the ruling party as a scapegoat for what are clearly self-inflicted wounds,” he said, describing internal crises within the ADC as stemming from disorganization and procedural lapses.
The party concluded that the electoral process is broader than any single political organization. “Heaven will not fall if the ADC, or any other party, fails to appear on the ballot as a result of its own non-compliance,” the statement added.
