The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday condemned the orchestrated tension and politically motivated street agitations being staged in parts of the country under the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, noting that it’s “the hand of Jacob and the voice of Esau.”

It said that while freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are sacrosanct in any democracy, “what we are witnessing is far from a legitimate call for justice.”

The spokesman of the state chapter of the party, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, said the protest is a dangerous display of reckless politics, carefully scripted by desperate opposition figures who see chaos as their last political weapon.

In a statement he signed, Oladejo said: “This so-called protest is not about justice; it is about political frustration. It represents the height of bitter, destructive politics, an attempt by those who have been roundly rejected by Nigerians at the polls to exploit national issues in search of cheap relevance.

“We find it deeply disturbing that certain opposition leaders, who should know better, are shamelessly endorsing and sponsoring these street theatrics.

“Their involvement reveals what can only be described as a classic case of the Biblical hand of Jacob but the voice of Esau, deceitful manipulation hiding behind the façade of activism. But let them be reminded: they will not gain in the streets what they have disgracefully lost at the polls.

“The insensitivity of the organizers and their sponsors is shocking. At a time when the South East is still bleeding from years of mindless bloodshed, kidnappings, and enforced sit-at-home orders, all consequences of violent agitation, these individuals have chosen to mock the memories of the victims. They ignore the tears of widows, the pains of orphans, and the devastation of communities ruined by senseless violence. Their protest is not a demand for justice; it is a betrayal of the sacrifices of the innocent.

“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 standing with their people to heal these wounds, these political opportunists have returned to fan the embers of division, hoping to profit from instability.

“Let it be clear: no one is above the law. The case of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu remains a judicial matter properly before the courts. Nigeria’s judiciary is competent, independent, and capable of delivering justice without recourse to mob pressure or street intimidation.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, is working to rebuild the economy, restore investor confidence, and foster national unity. His administration has shown remarkable inclusivity, with the South East occupying key national positions and benefiting from renewed infrastructural development. True progress will come not from chaos, but from cooperation and peace.”

The Lagos APC therefore called 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. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we must not allow political desperation to tear it apart.

“There must indeed be a limit to bitter politics,” he added.