APC Protested Its Way to Power, Now It Shuts Down Protests – Chidi Odinkalu

Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its approach to public demonstrations, accusing the ruling party of suppressing protests despite using them to gain power in 2015. Speaking at a virtual event organized by Global Rights to mark International Human Rights Day, Odinkalu said the APC has abandoned the principles of protest it once championed.

Odinkalu noted that the right to protest is fundamental and belongs to the people, not the government. He explained that the state’s role should be to support peaceful demonstrations by providing security and maintaining public order. However, he argued that since assuming power, the APC has actively worked to suppress this right.

He highlighted how protests, such as the Bring Back Our Girls movement, played a significant role in shaping public opinion and aiding the APC’s rise to power. Yet, under the current administration, the venue where these protests took place in Abuja has been closed off, signaling a shift in the government’s stance on dissent.

“Nigeria is currently led by people who specialized in protests over the years, from the president to several other people within his government,” Odinkalu said. “They protested their way to an electoral victory in 2015. But after coming to power, they shut down those protests and fenced off that site of protest.”

He concluded that the government’s actions undermine the democratic principles that protests represent, signaling a troubling shift away from respect for fundamental rights.