The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the Federal High Court’s decision in Lokoja to set aside its earlier judgment recognising the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as another indication of what it called a coordinated effort to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space.
In a statement on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ruling underscored the vulnerability of opposition parties in the face of what he alleged were attempts by the ruling party to weaken political competition.
“The Lokoja Federal High Court’s decision to set aside its initial judgment that recognised the NDC is another reminder that no opposition party is immune when there is a concerted attempt to shrink the democratic space by the ruling party,” Abdullahi said.
He described the reported move to deregister a political party ahead of an election as unprecedented, arguing that such actions are characteristic of a dictatorship.
“What we are witnessing is certainly unprecedented. Attempts to deregister political parties on the eve of an election is certainly the move of a dictatorship,” he stated.
The ADC spokesman said the development highlighted the need for opposition parties to close ranks in defence of democracy and Nigeria’s multiparty system.
According to him, a divided opposition would remain vulnerable, while a united front would be better positioned to resist what he described as growing authoritarian tendencies.
“Divided, we are easy targets. But united, we can confront the growing monster of dictatorship and defend the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders. Democracy survives only when the opposition survives,” Abdullahi added.