Adeyanju urges Tinubu to stop ‘one-party state’, calls on ex-leaders to intervene

Human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt what he described as growing efforts to undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

In a statement, Adeyanju urged the President to “urgently rein in all anti-democratic forces operating within and around his government,” alleging that some actors are using the courts to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. He warned that such actions are “fundamentally undemocratic and must be halted.”

The activist further cautioned that advisers suggesting that a strong opposition poses a threat to the President’s re-election bid are misleading him, stressing that such counsel could ultimately harm his administration.

Adeyanju expressed concern over what he termed sustained moves to weaken opposition parties, noting that the trend affecting groups such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) raises fears of an emerging one-party system. According to him, this development could endanger Nigeria’s democratic stability and erode public trust in key institutions.

He also appealed to former presidents and elder statesmen to speak out against any perceived threat to democratic plurality, describing the current moment as critical for the country’s political future.

“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,” he stated.