Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has taken the lead in rallying opposition against moves to deregister political parties, warning that any attempt to shrink Nigeria’s political space constitutes a direct assault on constitutional democracy and citizens’ fundamental rights.
Adebayo’s intervention comes amid growing concerns over efforts to remove some registered political parties from the nation’s democratic landscape, a development he described as dangerous, unconstitutional and contrary to the spirit of democratic governance.
In a statement released through his X account, the SDP presidential flag bearer said democracy flourishes through competition, inclusion and diversity of ideas, not through the elimination of alternative political platforms.
According to him, the timing of the development raises serious concerns, coming just days after Nigerians celebrated Democracy Day and recommitted themselves to the ideals of political freedom, participation and representative government.
“There is no constitutional, legal or moral justification for suppressing lawful political parties or denying citizens the platforms through which they choose to pursue their political aspirations,” Adebayo stated.
Although the SDP is not among the parties reportedly targeted by the deregistration move, Adebayo said democratic principles demand that all patriots speak out whenever injustice threatens any segment of the political community.
He therefore called on Nigerians, civil society organisations, democratic institutions and political stakeholders to resist any action capable of weakening the country’s multiparty system.
The former presidential candidate expressed solidarity with affected parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Party (APP), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), assuring them of support in their pursuit of justice through constitutional means.
Adebayo argued that Nigeria’s diversity makes political pluralism a necessity rather than a luxury, insisting that no single political platform can adequately represent the aspirations of over 200 million citizens with different social, cultural, economic and ideological backgrounds.
He warned that restricting political participation could fuel public distrust, heighten political tensions and undermine confidence in democratic institutions.
Taking his position beyond mere criticism, Adebayo pledged to personally support all lawful efforts aimed at challenging the deregistration move and restoring the rights of affected political parties.
He also renewed his call for comprehensive constitutional reforms to remove the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register or deregister political parties, arguing that the commission should focus exclusively on conducting free, fair and credible elections.
As part of broader electoral reforms, he proposed a system that would allow political associations to freely sponsor candidates while maintaining accountability through clearly defined electoral performance standards.
Adebayo maintained that the future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on expanding opportunities for participation rather than restricting them.
He urged political leaders to concentrate on strengthening democratic institutions, improving governance, tackling insecurity and creating economic opportunities instead of pursuing policies that could narrow democratic choice.
Reaffirming his commitment to democratic inclusion, Adebayo vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with all parties seeking redress against what he described as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
He insisted that democracy is strongest when citizens are free to choose from a broad range of political alternatives and when every lawful political platform is given an equal opportunity to compete.
For Adebayo, the struggle against party deregistration transcends partisan interests. It is, he said, a defence of the democratic rights of millions of Nigerians and a fight to preserve the multiparty system that remains essential to the nation’s democratic future.