NDC judgment threatens Nigeria’s democracy, HURIWA warns

By Chioma Obinna

ABUJA — The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the recent Federal High Court judgment nullifying the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), warning that the ruling could undermine political pluralism and raise fears of opposition exclusion ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the rights group said the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja had gone beyond a legal dispute and now raises fundamental questions about the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the future of multiparty democracy.

HURIWA said the development had generated widespread concern among civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians committed to constitutional democracy.

“The association warns that any perception that judicial processes are being weaponised for political purposes poses a grave danger to constitutional democracy,” the statement said.

According to Onwubiko, the controversy surrounding the NDC has evolved into a broader national democratic issue because of its implications for political inclusion, electoral competition and the constitutional rights of Nigerians to freely associate.

The organisation noted that the timing of the judgment had heightened public anxiety amid growing concerns that opposition politics could be facing coordinated pressure ahead of the 2027 elections.

“HURIWA is particularly concerned by the growing perception among Nigerians that opposition politics is coming under coordinated pressure ahead of the 2027 general elections,” the statement added.

The group warned that democracy is weakened when citizens begin to believe political outcomes are being determined through judicial or administrative processes rather than through the ballot box.

“Democracy thrives when political competition is encouraged, when citizens have multiple choices at the ballot box and when institutions remain neutral arbiters in political disputes,” it stated.

HURIWA called on President Bola Tinubu to publicly reaffirm his commitment to multiparty democracy and open political competition.

“A government that enjoys the confidence of the people should have no reason to fear opposition parties, dissenting voices or alternative political movements,” the group said.

It also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain strict neutrality and resist any form of pressure capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process.

The organisation further appealed to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to strengthen judicial accountability and transparency in order to preserve the integrity of the judiciary.

HURIWA also called on the international community, civil society organisations, youth groups and professional bodies to closely monitor developments within Nigeria’s democratic space.

“What is at stake today extends far beyond the registration or deregistration of any single political party. What is at stake is the future of democratic competition, the independence of public institutions, the credibility of the electoral process and the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely choose those who govern them,” the statement said.

The group cautioned that Nigeria’s democracy, built through years of struggle and sacrifice, should not be weakened by actions capable of creating doubts about the neutrality of public institutions or the openness of the country’s political process.

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