NDC Deregistration: Jega Urges Tinubu to Emulate Obasanjo, Warns on Democracy Risk
A frontline political analyst, Professor Mahmud Jega, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to publicly condemn what he described as growing judicial actions and political developments that could weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Jega warned that Nigeria’s democracy could be at risk if opposition parties are prevented—directly or indirectly—from participating in the electoral process.
He expressed concern over what he called a rising perception that there is a coordinated effort targeting opposition parties, including the PDP, ADC, Labour Party, NNPP, SDPC, PRP, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), through court rulings and political pressure.
According to him, if such trends are allowed to continue unchecked, it could undermine democratic competition in the country.
“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,” Jega said.
He stressed that it was important for the Presidency to distance itself from any actions capable of undermining democratic institutions, noting that the office of the President remains the most powerful institution in the country.
“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,” he added.
Jega referenced a similar episode during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, recalling how a court order once disrupted an opposition convention in Abuja.
He said Obasanjo publicly condemned the ruling at the time, describing it as “wicked,” a statement which he argued helped reinforce institutional accountability and prompted judicial review.
“A few days later, President Obasanjo had his monthly media chat… he said ‘it is wicked, it is wicked,’ he said it three times,” Jega recalled.
The analyst said such presidential interventions were important in signaling respect for democratic norms and discouraging abuses within the judicial system.
He therefore called on President Tinubu to take a similar stance to protect Nigeria’s democracy and ensure a level playing field for all political actors ahead of the 2027 elections.
