Nigeria risks one-party state, opposition warns after court ruling

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has voiced strong concerns over what it calls a "growing assault on democracy" in Nigeria. The party alleges a deliberate effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of upcoming general elections, warning that the nation could slide into a one-party state if the trend continues.

“

The cumulative effect of these attacks is unmistakable: they weaken the opposition, narrow the democratic space, and strengthen the hands of those already in power.

This assertion follows a Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja that set aside its earlier judgment recognizing the National Democratic Coalition (NDC). The ADC views this decision as part of a broader strategy to shrink the country's democratic space. In a statement, the party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed alarm over a "succession of legal and administrative actions targeting opposition parties," deeming them a grave threat to constitutional democracy.

“

When opposition parties are persistently distracted by manufactured controversies and prolonged legal uncertainty, the real casualty is the Nigerian people’s right to freely choose among credible political alternatives.

"The cumulative effect of these attacks is unmistakable: they weaken the opposition, narrow the democratic space, and strengthen the hands of those already in power," the statement read. The ADC emphasized that the controversy surrounding the NDC extends beyond a single party, impacting Nigeria's entire democratic system. "When opposition parties are persistently distracted by manufactured controversies and prolonged legal uncertainty, the real casualty is the Nigerian people’s right to freely choose among credible political alternatives," the party stated.

“

This has not been the case under the Bola Tinubu administration.

The ADC also accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of fostering an environment that undermines fair political competition. The party stressed that democratic governance relies on institutional neutrality and equal legal treatment for all political actors, conditions it claims are absent under the current administration. The ADC appealed to the judiciary to safeguard its independence, warning that any perception of political interference could erode public confidence and have severe consequences for Nigeria's constitutional democracy. The party called for a united front among opposition parties, civil society organizations, the legal community, organized labor, the media, and all Nigerians to defend democratic institutions.

“

The judiciary remains one of the last lines of defence for our democracy and must never be perceived as an arena where political battles are settled on behalf of those who wield executive power. Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done.