Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has strongly criticized what he described as deliberate attempts to undermine multiparty democracy in Nigeria. He condemned the recent ruling of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which nullified its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
Justice Isah Dashen, who presided over the matter, held that the Peace Movement Party ought to have been joined in the suit since its interests were directly affected. The decision effectively reversed the court’s December 10, 2025, order mandating INEC to recognize the NDC.
Reacting through a statement issued by the Atiku Media Office, the former Vice President alleged that the ruling was part of a broader scheme to weaken opposition parties and consolidate power in favour of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. He warned that such actions could erode democratic freedoms and destabilize the country.
Atiku’s Concerns
Atiku stressed that democracy thrives on free, fair, and credible elections, which guarantee citizens the right to choose their leaders without coercion. He cautioned that any attempt to deny Nigerians this fundamental right could lead to “chaos and anarchy.”
He accused President Tinubu of projecting a false image of a democrat while allegedly orchestrating moves to stifle opposition. “Nigerians are now seeing the true colours of President Tinubu, who pretends to be a democrat, but whose body language and the sinister activities of his agents contradict his professed commitment to free and fair elections,” Atiku stated.
Call for Democratic Principles
Atiku urged President Tinubu to emulate past leaders who respected democratic norms. He cited former President Muhammadu Buhari, who despite his military background, never deregistered any opposition party, and former President Goodluck Jonathan, who upheld the principle that political ambition should never come at the cost of citizens’ lives.
“If you are truly popular and your policies have positively impacted the lives of citizens, you should not fear free and fair competition,” Atiku remarked. He added that Tinubu cannot claim to be a defender of democracy under military rule only to become “the worst enemy of everything democracy stands for.”
Appeal to the Judiciary
The former Vice President also called on members of the judiciary to safeguard their integrity and resist political interference. He warned judges against becoming tools in the hands of politicians bent on undermining Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
