No presidency is greater than people — Olawunmi

Former Nigerian Navy officer and security commentator, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd.), has called for accountable governance, democratic consent and peaceful constitutional change, saying no political office should be regarded as greater than the people.

Olawunmi made the call in a public statement titled “Democratic Consent: No Presidency Is Greater Than the People,” issued on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

He said citizens should be able to support or criticise a government without being accused of disloyalty, stressing that a country and its government were not the same.

According to him, political responsibility should rest with those who exercise public power and should not be attributed collectively to an ethnic or geographical community because an officeholder shares its origins.

“A country is not the same as its government. Nor is an ethnic community the same as the politicians who come from it,” he said.

Olawunmi cited Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the people and that the security and welfare of citizens should be the primary purpose of government.

He said patriotism should not prevent citizens from questioning government policies or demanding solutions to problems affecting their daily lives.

“Love of country cannot require indifference to the suffering of its people,” he said, adding that concerns about insecurity, hardship, education and access to justice should not automatically be interpreted as disloyalty.

On government reforms, Olawunmi drew a distinction between the Oronsaye Report and the 2014 National Conference, saying the two exercises addressed different aspects of governance.

He noted that the Oronsaye Report focused on the rationalisation of federal agencies and the cost of government, while the 2014 National Conference considered broader issues including devolution of power, political restructuring and national security.

He said assessing the success of reforms required examining documented actions, including agencies merged, laws amended, savings achieved and proposals that remained outstanding.

“Approval is not completion,” he said, stressing that political endorsements alone could not establish whether reforms had been fully implemented.

Olawunmi also said constitutional change could not be achieved solely through presidential endorsement, noting that Section 9 of the Constitution provides a process involving the National Assembly and state legislatures.

Addressing debates over Nigeria’s constitutional future, including proposals for stronger federalism, regional autonomy and changes in political status, he said such proposals must be considered within the framework of existing law and with the consent of the people.

He cited provisions of the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights relating to sovereignty, self-determination, equality, participation in government and territorial integrity.

According to him, any referendum or other process aimed at determining a change in constitutional status would require a lawful basis, a clearly defined question, agreed rules and safeguards for those who disagree.

“A crowd cannot speak for everyone, and a leader’s claim to represent a community is not evidence that every member shares the same preference,” he said.

Olawunmi further cautioned against collective blame and intimidation in political disputes, saying warnings about possible disorder should not be used to justify attacks on peaceful residents or people holding opposing views.

He said political change, whether through elections or constitutional reform, should remain centred on the protection of human life and citizens’ ability to participate freely in decisions affecting their future.

“No presidency is greater than the people. No political ambition is more sacred than human life,” he said.

He added that replacing an administration would not, by itself, guarantee accountable government, saying the central issue remained how power was exercised and whether citizens could challenge its misuse without fear.

“The enduring concern is whether people can live safely, speak freely and make political choices without coercion,” Olawunmi said.