Seyi Makinde, presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has urged President Bola Tinubu and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain from moves that could erode Nigeria’s opposition parties.
Makinde said viable opposition groups were fundamental to democratic stability, cautioning that Nigeria should not develop into a system where a single political party dominates without meaningful competition.
The Oyo State governor made the comments in a live interview with Bauchi Radio Corporation on Friday, responding to a recent Federal High Court ruling concerning the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The Federal High Court in Abuja removed the ADC leadership headed by Senator David Mark, finding that the party’s caretaker committee had been unlawfully constituted. It also voided measures taken by that committee, including the selection of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC presidential nominee for the 2027 general election.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the ruling on Thursday, determining that the process through which the Mark-led committee took over the opposition party did not comply with the law.
As a result, the court struck down all decisions made by the caretaker committee, including the presidential primary that named Atiku as the ADC’s candidate.
The case was brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the party’s former National Deputy Chairman for the North-East, who contested the legality of the leadership arrangement that placed Mark and his associates in charge of the ADC.
Commenting on the ruling while in Bauchi for the launch of his presidential campaign, Makinde called the outcome regrettable and said he was worried about what he viewed as efforts to weaken opposition politics in Nigeria.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC should permit opposition parties to operate freely,” Makinde said. “What has happened to the ADC and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is unfortunate and inconsistent with democratic principles.”
The APM candidate said Nigeria’s political framework must leave room for competing interests and argued that the governing party should abandon any notion of creating a one-party system.
“Nigeria cannot become a one-party state, and the APC must understand that clearly,” Makinde said.
He maintained that opposition parties are needed to scrutinise those in power and give voters credible alternatives. Political rivalry, he said, should not be diminished through developments that endanger the survival of other parties.
Makinde also appealed to Nigerians to remain confident in the country despite current economic pressures and security problems. He said a change of administration in 2027 could create room for a different governing strategy.
