Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that moves to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) through the courts are part of a broader plan by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Atiku Media Office, the former vice president described the alleged attempt to deregister the NDC as evidence of what he called the administration’s determination to weaken opposition parties and undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
According to Atiku, any effort to deny Nigerians the opportunity to participate in free, fair and credible elections could threaten the country’s democratic stability and trigger political unrest.
He accused President Tinubu of presenting himself as a democrat while allegedly allowing actions that contradict his public commitment to free and fair elections.
The former vice president urged Tinubu to emulate the democratic conduct of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, noting that neither administration deregistered opposition parties while in office.
“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 said.
He further alleged that Tinubu “cannot be a champion of democracy under military dictatorship and now become the worst enemy of everything that democracy stands for.”
Atiku also appealed to members of the judiciary to resist political interference, urging judges to protect the integrity and independence of the courts.
He warned that while governments come and go, the judiciary must remain the “last hope of the masses” by upholding justice and resisting attempts to use the courts for political purposes.
