Demonstrators gathered at the Federal High Court in Abuja on May 4, 2026, protesting alleged interference in Nigeria’s judiciary and electoral process. The group, Concerned Northern Nigeria Stakeholders, accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of undermining democratic institutions and weakening opposition parties. Security operatives blocked access to the court as protesters warned that democracy cannot survive under intimidation, coercion, or political manipulation.
Protest Details
Tension rose on Monday at the Federal High Court in Wuse, Abuja, as demonstrators under the banner of Concerned Northern Nigeria Stakeholders staged a protest against alleged interference in the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The protesters, chanting solidarity songs and waving placards with inscriptions such as “No Opposition, No Election,” and “Tinubu, Let Our Democracy Breathe,” accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of undermining democratic institutions.
Security operatives, including officers of the Department of State Services, barricaded the court entrance, preventing the demonstrators from gaining access.
Call to Protect Judicial Independence
Addressing journalists, the group’s leader, Banki Sharrif, warned of growing threats to judicial independence. He said: “We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately cease all forms of interference, overt or covert, with the judiciary. Courts must never be reduced to instruments of political engineering. The moment justice is manipulated, the nation itself is placed on trial.” Sharrif stressed that democracy thrives on competition and fairness, adding that attempts to weaken opposition parties reflect “a lack of confidence” in governance.
Concerns Over Attorney General’s Role
The demonstrators also raised concerns about the neutrality of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi. Sharrif cautioned against politicising the office, stating: “The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation must remain firmly anchored in neutrality and the rule of law. It must not be weaponised for political ends.” He further warned that moves to deregister opposition parties, particularly those with strong roots in Northern Nigeria, could deepen division and trigger unrest.
Suit Seeking Deregistration of Parties
The protest coincided with a suit backed by the AGF seeking the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party. In court filings, the AGF argued that the continued existence of these parties violates provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and undermines electoral integrity. He maintained that INEC would be in breach of its constitutional duties if it retained parties that fail to meet legal requirements.
Warning of Eroding Public Trust
The protesters cautioned that public trust in the judiciary could collapse if courts are perceived as extensions of the executive. Sharrif concluded: “Where the judiciary is perceived as an extension of the Executive, citizens inevitably lose faith in lawful remedies. When courts fail, the streets become the courtroom. No nation survives such a breakdown without serious consequences.”
