Fadojoe Raises Alarm Over Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy, Calls for Judicial Independence

By Our Reporter

The Presidential Candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, popularly known as Fadojoe, has expressed concern over the state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that judicial decisions capable of undermining opposition participation could threaten the country’s democratic future.

Fadojoe, in a press statement issued on Friday, November 6, 2026, under his political platform, Operation Rescue Nigeria 2027, described the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which reportedly nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark and invalidated the presidential nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as a development that raises serious concerns about democratic participation.

He warned that allowing legal technicalities to determine the outcome of political contests before Nigerians have the opportunity to vote could have consequences as dangerous as the overthrow of democratic governance through military intervention.

The AA presidential candidate clarified that his intervention was not motivated by any political affiliation with the ADC but by the need to protect the democratic rights of all Nigerians, irrespective of party affiliation.

“I am not speaking today because I belong to the ADC. I do not. I am speaking because an injustice against democratic participation anywhere is a threat to democratic participation everywhere,” he stated.

According to him, the development should concern all opposition politicians, noting that what has happened to Atiku Abubakar and the ADC could potentially affect other opposition figures, including Peter Obi and himself.

Fadojoe maintained that the judiciary must remain an impartial institution for the administration of justice and should not become a platform for resolving political contests in ways that undermine the people’s right to choose their leaders.

He questioned the increasing frequency of political party leadership disputes, internal crises and prolonged court battles, arguing that such developments were diverting political parties from presenting solutions to Nigerians.

He further stressed that although no political party or candidate should be above the law, judicial decisions must be guided by constitutional provisions, fairness and an appreciation of their broader implications for democratic governance.

“The courtroom must never become a substitute for the ballot box,” he declared, calling for urgent measures to restore public confidence in the independence, consistency and impartiality of the judiciary.

The AA presidential candidate also challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to address growing concerns about the state of opposition politics under the present administration.

He expressed concern that recurring leadership disputes, factional disagreements and litigation within opposition parties could undermine their ability to participate effectively in the forthcoming January 2027 general elections.

While acknowledging that the ADC had publicly accused the ruling APC of attempting to weaken opposition parties through the courts, Fadojoe said such allegations were serious and deserved independent examination rather than automatic acceptance or dismissal.

He also reminded President Tinubu of his association with the pro-democracy struggles of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which challenged military authoritarianism and advocated the restoration of democratic governance.

According to him, the democratic freedoms demanded during the struggle against military rule must also be guaranteed to political opponents under the current democratic dispensation.

Fadojoe emphasised that democracy must accommodate divergent political opinions, credible opposition and the freedom of citizens to support candidates of their choice without unnecessary institutional or legal obstacles.

He urged relevant institutions to safeguard democratic principles and ensure that the forthcoming elections are determined by the freely expressed will of Nigerians at the ballot box.