By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to weaken opposition parties following a Federal High Court ruling that set aside an earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
The Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, nullified its December 10, 2025 judgment after presiding judge Isah Dashen ruled that the Peace Movement Party ought to have been joined in the suit because its interests were directly affected by the case.
Reacting to the judgment in a statement issued through the Atiku Media Office, the former Vice President described the development as a calculated attempt to frustrate the emergence of the NDC, alleging that it formed part of efforts to turn Nigeria into a de facto one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku warned that any attempt to weaken opposition parties or deny Nigerians the opportunity to freely choose their leaders could undermine the country’s democracy and trigger instability.
According to him, the right of citizens to participate in free, fair and credible elections remains the foundation of democratic governance.
“Nigerians are now seeing the true colours of President Tinubu, who pretends to be a democrat, but whose body language and the activities of his agents contradict his professed commitment to free and fair elections,” he said.
The former Vice President urged President Tinubu to emulate former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, whom he credited with respecting multiparty democracy and allowing opposition parties to operate freely.
“If you are truly popular and your policies have improved the lives of Nigerians, you should have nothing to fear from free and fair competition,” Atiku said.
He further alleged that Tinubu could not claim to be committed to democracy while, in his view, attempting to suppress political opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku also called on members of the judiciary to resist political interference, urging judges to protect the integrity of the courts and avoid actions capable of undermining public confidence in the justice system.
He maintained that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and warned that allowing political interests to influence judicial decisions could damage the institution’s credibility and Nigeria’s democratic process.
