Activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene against what he described as growing anti-democratic actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s political system.
Adeyanju urged Tinubu to halt attempts to foist one-party state on Nigeria, while urging ex-presidents and statesmen to condemn the plot.
In a statement he signed, Adeyanju urged the president to restrain individuals and groups within and around his administration allegedly working to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I call on the President to urgently rein in all anti-democratic forces operating within and around his government, including those using the courts to frustrate the opposition and prevent them from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections.
“These actions are fundamentally undemocratic and must be halted,” he said.
He also cautioned that advisers who portray a strong opposition as a threat to the president’s re-election prospects may be acting against his interests.
“The President must recognise that those advising him that a strong opposition threatens his chances of re-election are, in fact, his greatest enemies,” he added.
Adeyanju expressed concern over what he described as a sustained effort to weaken opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), warning of the implications for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The sustained efforts to weaken opposition parties, first the PDP and now the ADC, raise serious concerns about an emerging attempt to impose a one-party state.
“Such actions pose a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy and long-term stability, and risk undermining public confidence in our democratic institutions,” he said.
He further called on former presidents and national leaders to speak out against any perceived threats to democratic pluralism.
“I also call on all former Presidents and statesmen to rise to this moment and speak out.
“This is a defining time for our democracy, and all well-meaning Nigerians must stand firmly against any attempt to erode pluralism and democratic choice,” he stated.
