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Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has criticised the reported judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of several political parties, describing the decision as a dangerous development for Nigeria’s democracy and opposition politics.
The judgment reportedly affected the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Alliance (APP), Accord Party (AP), and 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 the systematic reduction of alternatives available to the electorate.
He argued that removing opposition platforms under performance-related considerations sends troubling signals at a time Nigerians are seeking broader political participation and stronger institutional independence.
Adebayo 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 democracy is measured not by how powerful the government becomes, but by how free and competitive the political environment remains,” Adebayo was quoted as saying.
The SDP presidential candidate urged democratic institutions to protect political plurality and ensure that electoral and constitutional mechanisms are not perceived as instruments capable of narrowing political participation.
He called on Nigerians, civil society groups and stakeholders to remain vigilant in defending democratic values and preserving 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.
