Kwankwasiyya: We’ll resist plot to cripple opposition before 2027

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has warned against any attempt to cripple opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election, saying the court judgment against the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, raises troubling questions about Nigeria’s democratic integrity.

The movement said the ruling, which set aside an earlier order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the NDC, had deepened fears that powerful interests were working to shrink the democratic space before the next election.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Dr Habibu Mai Lemo, the group said it respected the judiciary as the final arbiter in legal disputes but maintained that the judgment had serious implications for political pluralism.

According to the movement, millions of Nigerians are yearning for credible alternatives to the current administration and must not be denied the right to freely choose from a broad field of political options.

It said the timing of the case had fuelled suspicion, especially as INEC had already commenced activities under its timetable for the 2027 general election, including processes leading to party nominations and submission of candidates.

“The litigation has suddenly assumed renewed urgency precisely when the Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced activities under the timetable for the 2027 General Elections, including processes leading to party nominations and candidate submissions,” the statement said.

The movement said Nigerians were entitled to ask whether the development was merely coincidental or part of a wider pattern aimed at frustrating the rise of a strong opposition platform before the electoral process gathers full momentum.

“Nigerians are therefore entitled to ask whether this sequence of events is merely coincidental or part of a broader pattern aimed at frustrating the emergence of a formidable opposition platform before the electoral process gathers full momentum,” it added.

Kwankwasiyya described the judgment as legally controversial, saying senior lawyers had raised questions about whether a court could set aside its own final judgment or whether such authority belongs only to appellate courts.

The group warned that uncertainty around the legal status of political parties could weaken democracy and deny Nigerians a level playing field ahead of 2027.

“Yesterday was ADC, today NDC. Tomorrow it could be any other opposition platform,” the movement warned.

It said the danger was bigger than the NDC, insisting that any precedent capable of unsettling opposition parties through late-stage legal battles should worry all Nigerians.

The movement urged the judiciary to remain the last hope of the common man and to act in a manner that strengthens public confidence in democratic institutions.

It also called on INEC to avoid any action that could prejudice ongoing legal proceedings or worsen uncertainty surrounding the status of the NDC.

Kwankwasiyya appealed to Nigerians, civil society organisations and the international community to closely monitor developments as the country moves towards the 2027 elections.

Reaffirming its support for the NDC, the movement cited Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s position that Nigeria needs justice, equity and accountability.

It insisted that no court ruling or political pressure would deter its members from pursuing what it described as a credible political alternative for Nigerians.

The movement said Nigeria’s democracy would be in danger if opposition platforms were weakened before elections while only politically convenient parties were allowed to thrive.