NDC deregistration: Jega advises Tinubu to act like Obasanjo

A frontline political analyst, Mahmud Jega, has advised President Bola Tinubu to come out openly to condemn the attitude of some judges towards opposition political parties and against Nigeria’s democracy.

Jega warned that Nigeria’s democracy is at risk if opposition parties are prevented from contesting the 2027 general elections.

He stated that the growing perception that there is a coordinated effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of next year’s election is becoming undeniable, adding that If this is allowed to happen, it could mark the beginning of the end of democracy in Nigeria. 

He said It was important for the President, as the head of the country’s most powerful institution, the Presidency, to distance himself from it and discourage anything that undermines democracy.

Speaking on Arise Television, Jega said, “After what happened in PDP, politically it [judgement against NDC] is very significant, because unfortunately it adds to the widespread and growing perception that there is a concerted effort orchestrated by someone to stop all the opposition parties from contesting next year’s election.

“After what happened in PDP, after what is happening in ADC now, it has come to NDC, not to mention Labour Party, NNPP, SDPC and a  small party like PRP, once it produced a presidential candidate, some people went to court, and the whole matter.

“So the perception is growing that there is a concerted effort to stop all the opposition parties from contesting next year’s election. Now, actually, that will be like the end of democracy in Nigeria if we don’t have an opposition party. 

“I don’t know who is orchestrating this but it is very important for the presidency, because it is the most powerful institution in the country, to distance itself and discourage what is happening.

“In 2001 when PDP was ruling, and the opposition ANPP at  that time was going to hold a convention here in Abuja, and the convention was on Saturday, and already thousands of people were there, they had been campaigning all over the place for party offices, and then on Friday afternoon, a judge of the Abuja High Court, issued an order stopping the convention, and they all had to scatter.

“A few days later, President Obasanjo had his monthly media chat, was asked about that, he said ‘it is wicked, it is wicked,’ he said it three times, that was very important.

“It sent a message, very important. And because of that, possibly the National Judicial Council took steps, and the judge was actually, either retired or sacked. It is very important for the presidency right now to do a similar thing.”