By Our Reporter
Tension escalated on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja as dozens of protesters stormed the premises over moves to deregister opposition political parties.
The demonstrators, operating under the banner of Concerned Northern Nigeria Stakeholders, marched from the National Assembly to the court complex in Wuse, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with messages such as “No Opposition, No Election” and “Let Our Democracy Breathe.”
Security personnel, including operatives of the Department of State Services, blocked access to the court, preventing the protesters from entering the premises.
Speaking to journalists, the group’s leader, Banki Sharrif, expressed concern over what he described as increasing threats to judicial independence. He accused the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of interfering in both the judiciary and the electoral process.
Sharrif warned that any attempt to weaken opposition parties undermines democratic principles, stressing that credible elections require active political competition. He also cautioned that manipulating the judiciary for political purposes could erode public trust and destabilise the country.
The group further called for neutrality from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, warning against the politicisation of his office.
According to the protesters, efforts to deregister political parties—particularly those with strong regional support—could deepen political divisions and trigger unrest if not handled with strict adherence to due process.
The protest comes amid rising political tension surrounding a legal action backed by the Attorney General, seeking the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress.
Court filings indicate that the suit, initiated by some former lawmakers, is asking the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove certain parties for allegedly failing to meet constitutional requirements.
Other parties listed in the case include the Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
The Attorney General, through his legal team, argued that maintaining such parties on the electoral register would violate provisions of the 1999 Constitution and compromise electoral integrity.
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