Political analyst Mahmud Jega has warned that President Bola Tinubu’s silence over a wave of court actions involving opposition parties could deepen public distrust in Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Arise Television, Jega said a growing perception that opposition parties are being weakened through judicial interventions is taking root across the country, urging the presidency to publicly reassure Nigerians that democratic competition remains protected.
According to him, the issue is no longer limited to individual court cases but has evolved into a broader concern about the health of Nigeria’s multiparty system.
“The perception is growing that there is a concerted effort to stop all the opposition parties from contesting next year’s election. That will be like the end of democracy in Nigeria if we don’t have opposition parties,” Jega said.
He noted that a number of opposition parties, including the PDP, ADC, NDC, Labour Party, NNPP, SDP and PRP, have recently been embroiled in legal disputes affecting either their leadership structures or electoral prospects, creating what he described as an atmosphere of suspicion.
While stressing that he had no evidence linking the presidency to the developments, Jega argued that President Tinubu, as the nation’s chief executive, must take the lead in defending public confidence in democratic institutions.
“I don’t know who is orchestrating this, but it is very important for the presidency, because it is the most powerful institution in the country, to distance itself and discourage what is happening,” he said.
Jega drew parallels with the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, recalling how Obasanjo publicly criticized a court order that halted the convention of the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2001.
According to him, the former president’s intervention sent a clear message that democratic competition should not be undermined through judicial processes, regardless of political differences.
He said a similar intervention from Tinubu would help reassure Nigerians that the government remains committed to a level political playing field ahead of the next general election.
Jega maintained that preserving the credibility of opposition parties is essential to sustaining democratic legitimacy, warning that perceptions of exclusion could prove as damaging as actual attempts to restrict political participation.
Professor Attahiru Jega
