Deregister ADC, others, risk national crisis — Timi Frank warns

By Omeiza Ajayi

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Timi Frank, has raised the alarm over the court-ordered deregistration of the African Democratic Congress ADC and four other opposition political parties, warning that any such move could trigger a national crisis and undermine Nigeria’s democratic foundations.

Frank, in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, described the development as a direct threat to multi-party democracy, alleging that the reported court ruling formed part of a wider effort to weaken opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He called on United States President Donald Trump and members of the international community to urgently intervene to preserve Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

According to Frank, reports indicate that the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Mohammed A. Danjuma, had earlier ordered Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court to stay further proceedings in the matter pending the hearing and determination of an appeal scheduled for October 27, 2026.

Frank, however, questioned the circumstances surrounding the delivery of the judgment, describing it as sudden, suspicious and inconsistent with due judicial process.

“The judgment came suddenly without prior notice to the parties involved. From the information available to us, it appeared that the judgment had been prepared elsewhere and simply delivered by the court,” he alleged.

He claimed that neither the parties nor their legal representatives were informed in advance that the judgment was ready for delivery.

“Nobody knew about it. There was no information and no briefing, even to the lawyers representing the parties. The judgment was given suddenly. It was something they plotted and cooked up to make it look legitimate without even notifying the parties involved,” Frank alleged.

Describing the ruling as a “mystery judgment,” Frank alleged that it was orchestrated to achieve a predetermined political outcome, with external interests potentially having influenced its preparation and delivery.

“It must be noted that any attempt by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and those working with him to deregister political parties, particularly major opposition parties such as the ADC, will give rise to a crisis that may be difficult to contain,” he said.

The former APC spokesman argued that the controversy transcended partisan politics and touched on fundamental constitutional freedoms.

Frank alleged that the current administration had consistently sought to undermine opposition parties through actions designed to create divisions and weaken their structures.

He also raised concerns about what he described as growing perceptions regarding the independence of the judiciary, alleging a troubling relationship between some members of the executive and the bench.

“A government where a serving minister builds houses for judges, provides vehicles, allocates land and extends other benefits to members of the judiciary raises legitimate concerns. There is a growing perception that the judiciary has been captured by forces within government,” he alleged.

Frank further questioned what he described as the recurring involvement of a particular judge in politically sensitive cases.

He maintained that many Nigerians viewed the ADC as a platform with broad national appeal that transcended ethnic, religious and regional divisions.

“The ADC and its presidential candidate represent, in the eyes of many Nigerians, a national movement that cuts across ethnic, regional and religious divides. Any attempt to cripple such a platform for political reasons will fail,” he said.

Frank also alleged that there was a growing belief among some Nigerians that certain political interests were seeking to prevent particular contenders from participating fully in the next presidential election.

Warning of the potential consequences of shrinking the democratic space, Frank — who also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East — said any attempt to transform Nigeria into a one-party state could have far-reaching implications for national stability.

“Nigeria is a country of over 200 million people. Any desperate attempt to turn the country into a one-party state could trigger unrest and a crisis that nobody can control. The consequences for national unity and democratic governance would be severe,” he warned.

He called on democratic institutions, civil society organisations, religious leaders, youth groups and professional bodies to defend the country’s democratic gains, and appealed to the Trump administration and other democratic governments to closely monitor political developments in Nigeria.

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