Former Vice President and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that moves to deregister the party are part of President Bola Tinubu’s plan to turn Nigeria into a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Atiku described the judicial attempt to deregister the NDC as a “desperate determination” to weaken opposition parties, warning that such actions could have serious consequences for the country’s democracy.
He said he was not surprised by the development but cautioned that suppressing political competition could destabilise Nigeria.
“The participation of citizens in a free, fair and credible poll is the soul of democracy. Any attempt to stifle such freedom of choice could be a trigger to chaos and anarchy,” Atiku said.
The former vice president accused President Tinubu of pretending to support democracy while allowing actions that undermine the opposition.
“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 professed commitment to free and fair elections,” he stated.
Atiku urged Tinubu to emulate former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, whom he said did not attempt to deregister opposition parties and allowed political competition to thrive.
“If you’re truly popular and your policies have improved the lives of Nigerians, you shouldn’t be afraid of free and fair competition,” he said, adding that no leader can claim to support democracy while seeking to impose the will of the government on the people.
He also warned members of the judiciary against allowing themselves to be used for political purposes, stressing that the courts must protect their integrity as the last hope of ordinary Nigerians.
According to Atiku, while many judges remain committed to justice, the actions of a few risk damaging the credibility of the judiciary.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it is awaiting a certified copy of the court judgment before taking a position on the NDC deregistration case.
