- LP interim chair alleged KWAM 1’s alleged safety breach was ignored due to his closeness to President Bola Tinubu.
- Usman said selective justice undermines national unity and erodes equality before the law in Nigeria.
The Nenadi Usman-led Labour Party faction has taken aim at what it calls a glaring imbalance in how recent aviation incidents were handled.
According to Ken Asogwa, media aide to the LP interim chairperson, the swift punishment of Comfort Emmanson starkly contrasts with official silence over allegations against Fuji star Wasiu Ayinde, also known as KWAM 1.
Wasiu was reported to have had a confrontation at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, leading to a temporary no-fly restriction imposed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
The aviation regulator had also requested investigations by the attorney-general of the federation and the inspector-general of police.
Not long after, footage circulated on X showing Emmanson physically attacking a flight attendant on an Ibom Air service before clashing with airport security personnel.
In response, Ibom Air barred her from all its flights, while the Airline Operators of Nigeria placed her on a permanent no-fly list, calling the episode one of the worst unruly passenger cases of the year.
A magistrates’ court in Ogba, Lagos, later ordered her remand at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre until October 6.
Usman argued that the treatment of the two cases reveals a pattern of “selective” application of justice in Nigeria.
She said the situation “undermines equality before the law, which is the bedrock of any great nation,” warning that favouritism erodes national unity.
The LP leader claimed that KWAM 1 endangered passengers on a Value Jet aircraft by trying to halt a taxiing plane, in breach of aviation safety rules.
“This flagrant violation… was conveniently glossed over by the relevant authorities, apparently because of the musician’s proximity to the President,” the statement read.
While she acknowledged that Emmanson’s conduct was unacceptable, Usman described her treatment as a “blatant violation” of her right to dignity.
She also expressed concern that the incident came so soon after the KWAM 1 case, in which industry figures allegedly defended the musician rather than condemning him.
“The message from these two episodes could not be clearer: if you are connected to those in power, you can flout the law with impunity,” Usman said.
“If you are not, the system will come down on you with crushing force.”
She insisted that “selective application of justice is not justice at all — it is the most insidious form of pretended justice.”
Calling on President Bola Tinubu to honour the national anthem’s pledge of “truth and justice,” Usman said KWAM 1 should face the same punishment as Emmanson.
“What is good for the goose must also be good for the gander,” she added.
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