After the Federal High Court in Lokoja decided to reverse its previous ruling that recognised the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), offered his reaction.
Abdullahi wrote on X that the ruling is more evidence that the ruling party is exerting pressure on the opposition parties.
With its decision to throw aside its first judgement that acknowledged the NDC, the Lokoja Federal High Court has once again shown that no opposition party is safe from the ruling party’s coordinated efforts to limit democratic freedoms, he added.
He thinks it’s dangerous for democracy when people try to deregister political parties right before an election.
Certainly, this is the first of its kind that we have ever seen. He firmly believed that attempts to deregister political parties just before an election smacked of authoritarianism.
In order to protect democracy and the right of Nigerians to elect their leaders, Abdullahi called for the opposition parties to unite.
The reason the opposition must unite is because of this very reason. If we are divided, we become easy prey. But if we stand together, we can fight the rising dictatorship and protect Nigerians’ constitutional right to freely elect their leaders. He emphasised that the opposition’s survival is crucial for democracy to endure.