The African Action Congress (AAC) has fiercely condemned the Federal High Court ruling ordering the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), warning that Nigeria is drifting towards civilian dictatorship and urging citizens to resist what it described as an alarming descent into tyranny.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex I. Elanu, the party accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of pursuing a systematic campaign to weaken opposition forces and consolidate political power ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The AAC described the court order as a dangerous assault on democratic plurality and a fresh indication that the nation’s political space is increasingly coming under pressure.
“The African Action Congress condemns the latest court order purporting to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress,” the statement read.
“This development is yet another dangerous chapter in the ongoing campaign by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime to dismantle political opposition and impose a one-party dictatorship on Nigeria.”
The opposition party warned that democracy cannot flourish where legal institutions are allegedly deployed to shrink civic participation and weaken alternative political voices, insisting that a healthy democratic system depends on the free contest of ideas and the existence of vibrant opposition parties.
Calling on Nigerians to defend the gains of democratic struggle, the AAC declared that the country belongs to its citizens and not to any individual or political establishment.
“Nigeria belongs to its people, not to one man, one political party, or one regime,” the party stated.
The condemnation follows the ruling of Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside an earlier judgement directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
Chronicles Reporters gathered that the latest decision arose from an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it had sought registration using the same “victory sign” symbol as far back as 2015, thereby creating a dispute over the emblem adopted by the NDC.
However, the NDC has rejected the ruling, maintaining that the Federal High Court lacks the jurisdiction to revisit and overturn its own final judgement on the matter. The party insisted that issues relating to its registration had already been conclusively determined and vowed to pursue all available legal remedies to challenge the decision.
For the AAC, the controversy extends far beyond the fate of a single political organisation. The party argued that the deregistration represents a broader challenge to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and raises serious questions about the future of political inclusion and electoral competition in the country.
According to the party, weakening opposition platforms through judicial and institutional means could establish a dangerous precedent capable of eroding citizens’ rights to political participation and limiting the democratic choices available to Nigerians.
The AAC’s position echoes concerns expressed by other opposition groups, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which reportedly described the court order as a setback for democratic development and warned that it could further narrow Nigeria’s political space as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.
Political observers have also expressed concern over the growing spate of legal battles involving opposition parties, warning that such developments could profoundly reshape the nation’s democratic landscape and test the resilience of its multiparty system.
As debates continue over the implications of the judgement, the AAC insists that Nigerians must remain vigilant and united in defending the democratic freedoms won through decades of struggle, warning that silence in the face of perceived political suppression could accelerate the country’s slide towards authoritarian rule.