Nigeria’s leading opposition parties face an existential legal battle after a court ordered election authorities to de-register the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), whose candidates pose the strongest challenge to President Bola Tinubu. The rulings, triggered by lawsuits from former lawmakers, cited technical violations that party leaders and legal experts dispute. Many have called the timing suspicious, given it is only a few months until the January presidential election. ADC leader Atiku Abubakar and NDC’s Peter Obi, both former presidential runner-ups, have vowed to appeal. The court rulings, if upheld, would almost certainly guarantee a win for the ruling party. Beyond the immediate legal battle, the controversy raises broader concerns about judicial independence, electoral fairness, and the resilience of Nigeria’s democratic institutions as the country prepares for one of its most consequential elections in recent years.
Semafor