Adeyanju Warns Tinubu Against Weakening Opposition, Says One-Party State Threatens Democracy

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over what he described as a growing push toward a one-party system in Nigeria, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Adeyanju alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is making coordinated efforts to weaken opposition parties and stifle democratic competition.

He called on the President to urgently rein in anti-democratic forces within and around the government, including those using the courts to frustrate opposition parties from fielding candidates in 2027.

“Those advising him that a strong opposition threatens his chances of re-election are, in fact, his greatest enemies,” Adeyanju said.

He further claimed that systematic attempts to destabilise opposition parties, first the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and now the African Democratic Congress (ADC), are already underway. He warned that such actions pose a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy and long-term stability, and risk undermining public confidence in democratic institutions.

Adeyanju also appealed to former presidents and elder statesmen to speak out, describing the current moment as defining for the nation’s democracy.

His comments come amid a wave of high-profile defections from opposition parties to the APC, which has intensified political tension across the country. In recent months, several prominent politicians from the PDP and the Labour Party have crossed over to the ruling party.

Critics argue that state institutions, including the judiciary, are being weaponised to weaken opposition structures through protracted leadership crises and legal battles that have left parties like the PDP, Labour Party, and ADC internally fractured. Many see this as a strategy to consolidate political power ahead of 2027 by neutralising viable opposition platforms.

The presidency has repeatedly denied claims of authoritarian tendencies, maintaining that defections are part of normal democratic realignments and reflect confidence in the government’s policies. However, opposition figures and civil society actors insist that recent political developments suggest otherwise.

Analysts point to the increasing number of opposition governors, lawmakers, and party leaders aligning with the APC as evidence of mounting pressure within Nigeria’s political ecosystem.