“If Atiku Does Not Get To Contest, They Are Going To Incite People To Protest Even Violently” — BKO Warns

Veteran journalist and TVC News Director of News, Babajide Kolade Otitoju, BKO, has warned that the possibility of unrest is very strong if former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is stopped from contesting the 2027 presidential election, saying political leaders could incite supporters to protest, even violently.

BKO spoke on TVC News’ Issues with Jide, in response to a question from the host on whether the legal setback for Atiku and the charged language of opposition leaders could trigger massive unrest, civil war, or a political crisis or riot in the North.

The host had noted that Atiku’s running mate had openly warned that if the situation isn’t managed carefully, it could trigger massive unrest or even civil war among angry opposition supporters, and that Atiku himself had said “nobody can stop me” right after a court ruling.

“Certainly, the possibility of unrest is very strong and I believe that if Atiku does not get to contest this election, they are going to incite people to protest even violently. We’ve seen Nigerian political leaders do this. We see them do this,” BKO said.

BKO said he respects the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, which he described as a court of policy that sometimes steps out of the legal vortex to take decisions in national interest, not necessarily in black and white what the law says.

“So for me, I respect the judiciary. I know that the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, is a court of policy. Sometimes the Supreme Court steps out of the legal vortex to take decisions in national interest, not necessarily in black and white what the law says. If they are convinced that a decision will best serve the cause of this… I’ve seen the Supreme Court do that a number of times,” he said.

To illustrate his point, BKO recalled the Rotimi Amaechi governorship case.

“Look at Rotimi Amaechi, for example. The Supreme Court knew that it was wrong to have ordered that Rotimi Amaechi be sworn in as governor because he did not ask for that. And that was why the late Justice declared, said the Supreme Court, the judiciary is not a Father Christmas that will be giving people unsolicited gifts. Rotimi Amaechi only asked to be declared a candidate of the party. But the Supreme Court went ahead to say okay, go ahead and swear him in because they wanted to punish Obasanjo for the impunity that characterised his administration. They wanted to punish him for that to say okay, you will not have your way,” he said.

BKO said it is therefore possible for the Supreme Court to still let Atiku contest the election.

“So I believe that in this case, it is possible for the Supreme Court to still let Atiku contest this election. I want to see Atiku contest this election. I want to see Peter Obi contesting this election. I want to see them. I want to have, I want to see a wholesome election. I don’t want the court to stop anything and then electoral protest,” he said.

“So I will be happy if the Supreme Court or even the Appeal Court gives a judgment that permits them to take part in the election in spite of their inadequacies, in spite of their mistakes, because they don’t own up to mistakes that they make. All they do is simply blame the APC for their woes.”

BKO returned to the warning on violence, saying politicians are happy to use youths to burn houses and go after the homes of their rivals.

“So violence, yes. Politicians are happy to use the youths to burn houses, to go after the homes of their rivals. It happens. And I won’t be surprised if in this case, some people incite people to take off, to get violent once a decision doesn’t go their way,” he said.

“When the decision goes their way, they will praise the courts. They will describe the courts as the last hope of the common man. When it doesn’t go their way, they will describe the judiciary as a marketplace where people trade. This is what usually happens.”


BKO criticised Atiku and Omoyele Sowore for abusing the judiciary, saying they have no reason to do so because they are big beneficiaries of the judiciary.

“Someone like Omoyele Sowore and Atiku have no reason in the world to abuse the judiciary because they are big beneficiaries of the judiciary. I’ve not seen standard politicians that have benefited as much as they have benefited in terms of consequential judgments that went in their favor,” he said.

“But Atiku is abusing the judiciary at every opportunity, forgetting that the judiciary assisted him, it defeated President, I mean, Obasanjo then back to back. Like 10 different cases. Back to back. He kept flogging Obasanjo in the courts. The same judiciary he has turned against.”