Opposition Party Deregistration Plot warning as Ikenga Ugochinyere alleges moves to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections
Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, has raised concerns over alleged plans to deregister major opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Ugochinyere made the allegation on Tuesday during a press conference in Abuja, warning that such a move could destabilise Nigeria’s democracy and trigger political unrest.
He claimed that unnamed political actors were allegedly using court processes to target opposition parties in a bid to weaken electoral competition.
The lawmaker specifically mentioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as parties he believes could be affected.
He warned that any attempt to remove opposition parties from the political space would amount to “playing with fire” and could create unnecessary tension in the country.
“What kind of anarchy do you want this country to go through? You cannot deregister political parties a few months to elections and expect Nigerians to fold their arms,” he said.
Ugochinyere argued that some of the affected parties had already met constitutional requirements by winning elective positions at various levels, including councillorship seats.
He maintained that once a political party secures such electoral victories, it cannot be legally deregistered under the Constitution.
The lawmaker also referenced previous judicial decisions he said supported his position that qualifying parties cannot be deregistered.
He further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid actions that could create uncertainty ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly regarding ongoing legal matters.
Ugochinyere appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and security agencies to safeguard democratic institutions and ensure political inclusiveness.
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The lawmaker stressed that maintaining stability in the political environment is crucial as Nigeria approaches another general election cycle.
