Atiku Abubakar, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has faulted President Bola Tinubu over an alleged plot to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) through judicial means.
The former Vice President, who disclosed this in a statement issued by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja on Saturday, described the move as a desperate attempt by the current administration to impose a de facto one-party state on Nigerians.
Expressing deep concern over the development, Atiku warned that the sinister plot to systematically weaken opposition political parties to clear the coast for Tinubu in the 2027 general elections could plunge the country into absolute chaos and anarchy.
According to him, the body language of the President and the activities of his political agents completely contradict his public commitments to fostering free, fair, and credible democratic processes.
“Nigerians are now seeing the true colors 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.”
“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. Tinubu cannot be a champion of democracy under military dictatorship and now become the worst enemy of everything that democracy stands for,” he said.
He further urged Tinubu to borrow a leaf from former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, noting that despite political tensions, neither administration forcefully deregistered opposition parties to stifle competition.
Turning his attention to the legal arm of government, the ADC flagbearer cautioned the judiciary against allowing itself to be weaponized by desperate politicians looking to undermine the nation’s democratic structures for short-term gains.
“Governments will come and go. Hence, the judiciary must guard its 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,” Atiku stated.
He added that while the country boasts of highly principled jurists, the unchecked excesses of a few who act as judicial swords for the ruling class could permanently ruin the hard-earned credibility and reputation of Nigerian courts.