Appeal Court Ruling: Nigeria’s Judiciary Has Gone To Abyss Under Tinubu – ADC

The Deputy National Financial Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Oladimeji Fabiyi, has urged the judiciary not to allow itself to be used in what he described as an attempt by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to weaken Nigeria’s democracy.

Naija News reports that Fabiyi spoke to Daily Trust while reacting to a recent Court of Appeal judgment which upheld an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising congresses conducted by the ADC in some states.

The ADC chieftain alleged that recent developments involving opposition parties suggested an attempt to weaken political competition and gradually turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

He, however, said the opposition would resist any action capable of undermining the country’s democratic system.

‘Judiciary Must Protect Democracy’

Fabiyi called on the judiciary to remain independent and avoid taking decisions that could erode public confidence in the courts.

“The judiciary should not help Tinubu to destroy our democracy. We will not allow it,” he said.

“As tough and serious as the military was, it never subjected our judiciary to this ridicule, to the point that our judiciary has gone to the abyss.”

He accused the Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to use institutions of state to frustrate opposition parties ahead of future elections.

According to him, the alleged plan would fail because opposition parties and Nigerians would resist any move to eliminate political pluralism.

“They want to turn the country into a one-party state. It’s not going to work. We are not going to allow it,” Fabiyi added.

Despite the court ruling, Fabiyi maintained that the ADC would continue its political and organisational activities across the country.

He said the party’s legal team was already handling the cases arising from the internal disputes and the legal challenge to its state congresses.

“Our legal team are handling whatever is in the court. It does not stop us. We are still going on with activities everywhere,” he said.

Fabiyi urged party members and supporters not to be discouraged by the legal developments, stressing that the ADC remained focused on strengthening its structures and expanding its membership nationwide.

The ADC official further claimed that the legal and leadership disputes affecting his party were part of a broader challenge confronting opposition parties in Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to pay attention to developments within the political space, saying the alleged pressure was not limited to the ADC.

“Now, what we need is to ask Nigerians to really understand our situation. It’s not only ADC,” he said.

“We see what they are doing to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. It’s not limited to ADC alone. So we are not bothered.”

Fabiyi expressed confidence that the ADC would overcome its internal and legal challenges, adding that the party would continue to pursue its political objectives through lawful and democratic means.

The Court of Appeal had recently upheld an order preventing INEC from recognising the affected ADC state congresses, a development that has further intensified the leadership and organisational disputes within the opposition party.