Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have strongly criticised the Federal High Court’s decision in Lokoja directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the National Democratic Party (NDC), describing the development as a dangerous setback for Nigeria’s democracy and the country’s multiparty system.
In separate statements issued on Friday, both opposition parties warned that the court order could further narrow the democratic space ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The PDP, through its Interim National Working Committee, said it had received media reports of the Federal High Court’s order directing INEC to deregister the NDC but noted that it was still awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
The party, however, said it was deeply concerned by what it described as the implications of the ruling.
“While we await the Certified True Copy of the judgment, we express our profound condemnation of the implications of the court order, which further constricts the democratic space in our country,” the statement read.
According to the PDP, the development is particularly troubling because many Nigerians had already spent resources contesting elective offices under the platform of the NDC.
“This order is not only an asphyxiation of multiparty democracy in Nigeria but also an economic crime against Nigerians who invested in the party,” the party stated.
The opposition party further alleged that the situation aligns with what it described as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government’s strategy to weaken opposition parties ahead of the next general elections.
“This situation, though activated through the court, fits neatly into the playbook of the APC-led Federal Government, which appears unwilling to allow the survival of a genuine opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections, in order to pave the way for the President’s unchallenged re-election.”
The PDP added that the “absurdities that have occurred under the APC Federal Government clearly demonstrate its disdain for fair political competition.”
The party urged the leadership of the NDC to challenge the court order through legal means while rallying Nigerians in what it described as “the struggle for democratic consolidation.”
It also called on the Federal Government to take practical measures to reduce political tension in the interest of peace, stability and the preservation of democracy.
Similarly, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi described the Lokoja court’s decision to set aside its earlier judgment recognising the NDC as another indication of what he termed growing threats to opposition politics in Nigeria.
“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 added: “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.”
The ADC spokesman stressed the need for opposition parties to close ranks in defence of democracy.
“And, this is precisely why the opposition must stand together.
“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.”
The court ruling has continued to generate reactions from opposition parties, with concerns mounting over its implications for political pluralism and preparations for the 2027 elections.
