Adeyanju Urges Ex-Presidents To Rise Against One-Party Agenda

Human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has called on former Presidents and prominent statesmen to speak out against what he describes as an emerging attempt to impose a one-party state in Nigeria.

This follows the derecognition of leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a few days ago, throwing the country into a political crisis.

The action by INEC has been condemned, with calls for protests and occupation of the electoral umpire’s office. On Thursday, INEC requested the deployment of the military to protect its offices in Abuja.

The army responded with full deployment of armored personnel carriers and heavy weapons, with personnel manning strategic areas and screening both staff and visitors.

Adeyanju, who condemned the INEC action, urged President Bola Tinubu to halt moves by anti-democratic forces operating within and around his administration to destroy opposition and impose one party on the country months ahead of crucial elections.

Adeyanju warned on Friday via a statement sent to THE WHISTLER that certain elements within the government were allegedly using the courts to frustrate opposition parties, including preventing them from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections.

“I call on the President to urgently rein in all anti-democratic forces operating within and around his government, including those using the courts to frustrate the opposition and prevent them from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections,” Adeyanju said.

“These actions are fundamentally undemocratic and must be halted. The President must recognise that those advising him that a strong opposition threatens his chances of re-election are, in fact, his greatest enemies.”

Adeyanju raised concerns over sustained efforts to weaken opposition parties, first targeting the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and more recently the ADC. “Such actions pose a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy and long-term stability, and risk undermining public confidence in our democratic institutions,” he said.

He also called on all former Presidents and leading statesmen to intervene. “This is a defining time for our democracy, and all well-meaning Nigerians must stand firmly against any attempt to erode pluralism and democratic choice,” Adeyanju added.

The activist urged the international community and critical stakeholders to monitor the situation closely. His statement comes amid growing concerns about the health of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and fears that unchecked political maneuvers could pave the way for a dominant-party system.

Deji Adeyanju added, “We cannot allow Nigeria to drift towards a one-party state. Democracy thrives on pluralism, accountability, and active citizen engagement. All Nigerians, especially our former leaders, must rise to this moment.”