Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has described the attempt to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), through judicial means, as evidence of the desperate determination of President Bola Tinubu to impose a one-party state in Nigeria.
Atiku said the move is also against the democratic wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.
According to him, President Tinubu is afraid of a free and fair 2027 election.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
Justice Isah Dashen, who delivered the ruling on Friday, held that the court’s December 10, 2025, judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which was not joined as a party in the suit.
Reacting to the development, Atiku said he is not surprised by the disturbing situation, which may have grave consequences if the sinister plot to weaken opposition parties to help Tinubu have his way in the 2027 election comes to fruition.
According to Atiku in a statement on Saturday by his media office, the participation of citizens in a free, fair and credible poll is the soul of democracy, and any attempt to stifle such freedom of choice could be a trigger to chaos and anarchy.
The ADC Presidential candidate explained further that: “Nigerians are now seeing the true colours of President Tinubu, who pretends to be a democrat, but his body language and the sinister activities of his agents contradict his mouthed commitment to free and fair elections.”
The Waziri of Adamawa urged Tinubu to borrow a leaf from the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who, despite being a retired military officer turned politician, never deregistered any opposition party. Ditto for former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lived by a non-violent mantra that political ambition should not be worth the blood of any citizen.
“If you’re truly popular and your policies have positively bettered the lives of the citizens, you shouldn’t be afraid of a free and fair competition,” Atiku reminded Tinubu.
“Tinubu cannot be a champion of democracy under military dictatorship and now become the worst enemy of everything that democracy stands for.”
“You can’t attempt to rule the people against their will and still pretend that you’re committed to free and fair elections in 2027,” Atiku stated.
The former Vice President also advised judges to resist being used by dishonourable politicians who are bent on destroying the hard-earned democracy in the country.
According to him, governments will come and go, but institutions must be strengthened.
He argued that while great judges exist in Nigeria, there are some who have made themselves willing tools in the hands of unscrupulous politicians.
“Governments will come and go. Hence, the judiciary must guard her integrity as the last hope of the masses. Don’t allow unscrupulous politicians to stain your reputation for their own short-term gain at the expense of justice. The judiciary is the last hope of the people. Let’s avoid anything that is capable of ruining the credibility and reputation of our courts; not for a messy pot of pottage or love of lucre.
“There are great judges in Nigeria, but the unchecked excesses of some who allow themselves to become judicial swords on the hands of politicians, are capable of damaging the larger image of the judiciary,” Atiku said.
