The area around the Federal High Court in Abuja was tense on Monday as a group of protesters gathered in large numbers to caution President Bola Tinubu over alleged interference in the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The demonstrators, under the banner of Concerned Northern Nigeria Stakeholders, converged at the court entrance in Wuse, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with inscriptions such as “No Opposition, No Election,” “Tinubu, Let Our Democracy Breathe,” and “AGF Must Be Neutral.”
Security operatives, including personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), quickly blocked access to the court premises, preventing the protesters from entering the complex.
Addressing journalists at the scene, the group’s leader, Banki Sharrif, raised concerns over what he described as increasing pressure on democratic institutions and judicial independence, accusing the federal government of undermining due process.
He said, “We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately cease all forms of interference, overt or covert, with the judiciary. Courts must never be reduced to instruments of political engineering. The moment justice is manipulated, the nation itself is placed on trial.”
Sharrif further stated, “A government that seeks to weaken opposition betrays a lack of confidence in its own legitimacy. Democracy thrives on competition. Suppressing it is not strength; it is fear.
“Elections without credible opposition are nothing more than staged exercises. Democracy demands fairness, openness, and equal opportunity for all political actors.”
The protesters maintained that democracy cannot survive under intimidation, coercion, or calculated manipulation, insisting that civic space and opposition participation remain fundamental to any democratic system.
They argued that efforts to weaken opposition parties reflect “a lack of confidence” in governance, adding that “democracy thrives on competition.”
On the role of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, Sharrif called for strict neutrality, warning against politicising the office.
“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation must remain firmly anchored in neutrality and the rule of law. It must not be weaponised for political ends.
“Again, we are alarmed by moves suggesting the use of technicalities and administrative manoeuvring to weaken or delist political parties, particularly those with strong roots in Northern Nigeria.
He warned further, “If the courts lend legitimacy to such actions without strict adherence to due process and substantive justice, it will be seen as judicial endorsement of political exclusion. That path is dangerous, risks disenfranchisement, deepens division, and could trigger widespread unrest,” Sharrif warned.
The group also expressed concern that public confidence in the judiciary could be eroded if it is perceived as being aligned with the executive arm of government.
“Where the judiciary is perceived as an extension of the Executive, citizens inevitably lose faith in lawful remedies. When courts fail, the streets become the courtroom. No nation survives such a breakdown without serious consequences.
“We are closely monitoring every action of this administration and every pronouncement of the courts.”
The protest comes amid heightened political tension surrounding a suit backed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, seeking the deregistration of several political parties.
Court filings at the Federal High Court show that the AGF supported a case filed by some former lawmakers, asking the court to compel INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress and four other parties.
He argued that the continued existence of the affected parties violates provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and undermines electoral integrity, insisting that INEC would be acting in breach of its constitutional duties if it retains parties that allegedly fail to meet legal requirements.