- The protest targeted a suit supported by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Protesters under the aegis of Concerned Northern Nigeria Stakeholders on Monday stormed the Federal High Court in Wuse to oppose moves to deregister several opposition parties, accusing the federal government of undermining democracy.
The demonstrators marched from the National Assembly to the court premises, chanting solidarity songs and brandishing placards with messages such as “No Opposition, No Election,” “Tinubu, Let Our Democracy Breathe,” and “AGF Must Be Neutral.”
The protest targeted a suit supported by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Led by Banki Sharrif, the group warned against any judicial endorsement of the deregistration, describing it as an attempt to weaken opposition voices, particularly those with strong roots in Northern Nigeria.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately cease all forms of interference, overt or covert, with the judiciary. Courts must never be reduced to instruments of political engineering,” Sharrif said.
He added: “A government that seeks to weaken opposition betrays a lack of confidence in its own legitimacy. Democracy thrives on competition. Suppressing it is not strength; it is fear.”679f99
Sharrif further declared: “Elections without credible opposition are nothing more than staged exercises. Democracy demands fairness, openness, and equal opportunity for all political actors.”a6e867
The protesters demanded that the Office of the Attorney General remain neutral and not be “weaponised for political ends.” They cautioned that any court decision lacking strict adherence to due process could be viewed as judicial endorsement of political exclusion and risk widespread unrest.
Security operatives, including personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS), barricaded the court entrance and prevented the demonstrators from accessing the premises.
The development reflects growing tensions in Nigeria’s political landscape as opposition parties face legal challenges amid preparations for the 2027 general elections.
