Chidi Odinkalu, a prominent human rights activist and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has reacted strongly to complaints made by former Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Abubakar Adamu, over the outcome of the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Nasarawa State.
Adamu had alleged that he was unfairly treated during the primary election process, claiming that the exercise was manipulated against him. His remarks sparked widespread debate among political observers and Nigerians on social media, with many questioning the credibility of internal party elections in the country.
Reacting through statements shared on his official X handle on Sunday, May 24, 2026, Odinkalu accused the former police chief of hypocrisy, arguing that Adamu was now facing the same kind of political injustice that allegedly occurred during his tenure as Inspector General of Police.
According to Odinkalu, police officers under Adamu’s leadership were often accused of aiding electoral malpractice and intimidation during elections across the country. He suggested that the former IGP should not be surprised to experience a flawed political process after allegedly benefiting from similar systems in the past.
In his words: “When police officers under his command were helping to rig elections in the past what did he think? That it would not get to his turn someday?”
Odinkalu further stated that many public officials fail to understand the long-term consequences of enabling injustice until they become victims themselves. He argued that weak democratic institutions and compromised electoral systems eventually affect everyone, regardless of status or influence.
He said: “This is how impunity works. People support bad systems when it benefits them, but later cry foul when those same systems are used against them.”
The former NHRC chairman also stressed the importance of accountability within the political system, noting that Nigeria’s democracy would continue to suffer setbacks if influential individuals failed to stand against electoral malpractice from the beginning. See less
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