Paul Ibe, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called on opposition leaders, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to unite ahead of the 2027 general election following a Federal High Court ruling that nullified its earlier judgment directing the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as a political party.
In a post on X on Friday, Ibe described the Lokoja court ruling as a wake up call for opposition parties, alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pursuing a de facto one party state.
He argued that the ruling signaled that there is no hiding place for opposition forces and accused the President of attempting to weaken rival political parties ahead of the 2027 election.
Ibe further alleged that Tinubu intends to eliminate opposition voices if given the opportunity, warning that Nigeria’s democratic system could be under serious threat.
Despite the setback, he maintained that it is still possible for opposition parties to harmonize their strengths before the 2027 elections, urging leaders such as Obi, Kwankwaso, and others to work together if they hope to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Ibe wrote:
“The decision of the Federal High Court Lokoja in settting aside its earlier judgement on the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) should be a wake-up call that there is no hiding place for the opposition as the incompetent and clueless Tinubu @officialABAT sets his sights on enthroning a de facto one-party state.
“His message is loud and clear: that he will obliterate the opposition and destroy our hard-won democracy if he does not have his way in the 2027 election. It is not too late for the opposition to harmonize their strengths ahead of 2027 if the Yar’Adua 2.0 President Tinubu is to be retired to either Bourdillon or Iragbiji!”
The ruling was delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, where Justice Isah Dashen set aside the court’s earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the NDC.
The court held that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, PMP, which claimed ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC but was not joined as a party in the original suit.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, said the ruling restored all parties to the positions they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed that all necessary parties be joined before the substantive case is reheard.
He added that all actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier ruling, including the recognition and registration of the NDC, have now been reversed pending final determination of the case.
