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The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has expressed concern over the Federal High Court judgment in Abuja nullifying the emergence of Senator David Mark as national chairman of the party and the actions taken by the leadership.
Obi said he was shocked by the development, stressing that while he respected the authority of the court to determine disputes according to law, the timing of the ruling was unsettling, coming only about three months before the 2027 general elections.
In a statement, Obi said the development could create uncertainty around political parties and candidates ahead of the presidential election, which he said was not in the public interest.
He alleged that the situation was part of a broader attempt by the ruling party to weaken opposition forces and restrict the civic space for effective political campaigns.
“I do not challenge the ruling of the court. The court of law is constituted to determine disputes according to the law. My concern is that three months before a general election, it is in the public interest to have certainty,” Obi said.
He argued that democracy was built on the principle that voters, rather than courts, should ultimately choose the country's leaders, while expressing confidence in the judiciary.
“One mark of democracy is that at all times, it is voters and not courts that choose leaders. I trust in the judiciary,” he said.
Obi also appealed for the protection of opposition parties and candidates, warning that political instability and uncertainty could undermine the democratic process.
He linked the development to what he described as a wider pattern of efforts to weaken opposition politics, saying similar tactics had been used against him while he was in the Labour Party.
He further expressed concern about the broader democratic environment in West Africa, particularly against the backdrop of recent military interventions in the sub-region.
“The sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, in the midst of encroaching military rule in West Africa, should strengthen our resolve to protect opposition politics and not stamp out opposition parties,” Obi said.
He pledged that if elected president, he would prioritise the stability of opposition parties and ensure that opposition candidates were not prevented from participating in elections through persecution.
According to him, the current political situation should instead provide an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and create an environment where opposition parties can operate freely.
“This is a time to strengthen our democracy by allowing the opposition to thrive,” he said.
Obi concluded with his familiar political message: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
