Court’s verdict on opposition parties threat to democracy – Adebayo

By Sunday Ani

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has criticised the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of some political parties, describing the decision as a dangerous development for Nigeria’s democracy and opposition politics.

The judgment affected the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Alliance (APP), the Accord Party (AP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), following a suit instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators over allegations that the parties failed to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements.

Reacting to the development, Adebayo warned that shrinking the political space through judicial pronouncements could weaken democratic competition and deepen the dominance of the ruling establishment.

According to him, democracy thrives on inclusion, plurality of ideas and the freedom of citizens to organise politically, not through systematic reduction of alternatives available to the electorate.

He argued that removing the opposition platforms under performance-related considerations sends troubling signals at a time Nigerians are seeking broader political participation and stronger institutional independence.

He further cautioned that such developments could reinforce what he described as the growing stronghold of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling political structure over the nation’s democratic process.

He maintained that concentrating political influence around one dominant force risks creating conditions that weaken accountability and diminish public confidence in electoral competition.

“The health of a democracy is measured not by how powerful the government becomes, but by how free and competitive the political environment remains,” he said.

He urged democratic institutions to protect political plurality and ensure that electoral and constitutional mechanisms are not perceived as instruments capable of narrowing down the political participation.

He called on Nigerians, civil society groups and stakeholders to remain vigilant in defending the democratic values and preserving the space for legitimate opposition voices ahead of future elections.

The court judgment has already sparked debate among political observers over its potential implications for party politics and democratic consolidation in Nigeria.