By Miracle Ovie
Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has strongly condemned moves to deregister political parties, describing the development as an assault on democratic principles and a threat to political pluralism in Nigeria.
Reacting on Monday via his X handle, Sowore argued that political parties that had concluded their primaries and were preparing for future elections should not be arbitrarily removed from the electoral space.
"It shall not stand. I totally condemn the deregistration of political parties that have already concluded their primaries and are preparing for the general election. Such an action is undemocratic and unjustifiable in a multi-party democracy," he stated.
The activist and politician warned that deregistering parties would shrink democratic participation, limit voter choices, and undermine the foundations of Nigeria's multi-party system.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has called for sweeping democratic reforms, insisting that Nigeria's democratic journey remains incomplete despite more than two decades of uninterrupted civilian rule.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Adebayo argued that successive governments had failed to deepen democratic values and strengthen institutions, resulting in worsening socio-economic conditions across the country.
"Since 1993, only two things have changed — our problems have become bigger, and our democratic space has become smaller," he said.
Adebayo expressed concern over rising poverty and insecurity, warning that both challenges pose serious threats to national cohesion and stability if left unchecked.
"Poverty has grown and given birth to insecurity. If we fail to address both, they may eventually give rise to instability, revolution, or even genocide," he cautioned.
The SDP chieftain further contended that Nigeria currently operates a system of civilian rule rather than a genuine democracy, citing weak accountability mechanisms, poor adherence to the rule of law, flawed electoral processes, and the failure of governance to improve citizens' welfare.
According to him, true democracy must be measured not by the conduct of elections alone but by the extent to which government remains accountable to the people and delivers tangible improvements in their lives.
The remarks by Sowore and Adebayo have reignited debate over political inclusion, electoral reforms, and the future of Nigeria's democracy, particularly amid growing concerns about the shrinking political space and calls for stronger democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
