By Joy Yesufu
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed concern over what it described as a growing trend of court judgments ordering the deregistration of political parties, warning that the development poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and multi-party political system.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of IPAC, Mr. Martins Egbeola, said the recurring judicial pronouncements were capable of undermining citizens’ constitutional rights to freedom of association and political participation.
Egbeola said recent court decisions, including earlier judgments directing the deregistration of five political parties and the latest ruling affecting the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had raised serious concerns about the future of democratic governance in the country.
According to him, irrespective of the legal issues surrounding the various cases, the cumulative effect of such judgments could erode political pluralism, shrink the democratic space and weaken the constitutional safeguards that guarantee Nigerians the freedom to organise and participate in political activities.
He warned that if the trend continues unchecked, it could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions and reverse the gains recorded since the country’s return to democratic rule.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the possibility that anti-democratic forces are working behind the scenes to manipulate state institutions for narrow political interests,” Egbeola said.
The IPAC spokesman cautioned against any attempt to use judicial processes to weaken opposition parties or restrict political competition, stressing that a vibrant multi-party system remains essential to democratic accountability and good governance.
He called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to ensure that judicial officers continue to uphold the principles of independence, impartiality and fidelity to the Constitution in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“The judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and must never be perceived as a tool in the hands of politicians,” he added.
IPAC maintained that preserving the integrity of the judiciary and protecting the country’s multi-party democracy are critical to sustaining public confidence in Nigeria’s constitutional order.
