Human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene and stop what he described as growing attempts to undermine Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, Adeyanju urged the President to rein in what he termed “anti-democratic forces” allegedly operating within and around the government.
“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 cautioned that weakening opposition parties poses a serious threat to democratic stability, warning against what he described as an emerging one-party system.
“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,” Adeyanju stated.
According to him, those advising the President that a strong opposition is a political threat are, in fact, misleading him.
“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 also warned that Nigeria’s democratic trajectory is under close international scrutiny and that any erosion of political pluralism could damage public trust in institutions.
“The international community and critical stakeholders are watching closely,” he noted.
He further called on former presidents and elder statesmen to speak out against any perceived threats to democracy.
“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 said.
