Protests Erupt at Federal High Court Over Party Deregistration

Protests occurred at the Federal High Court in Wuse, Abuja, over the deregistration of opposition parties, with demonstrators warning President Bola Tinubu against alleged interference with judicial independence. The protest, led by Banki Sharrif, highlighted concerns from northern Nigerian stakeholders who chanted slogans and waved placards demanding a fair political environment.

Sharrif described the government's actions as a threat to democracy, accusing it of undermining due process and manipulating the judiciary for political gain. The protests coincided with a suit filed by Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress and others, on grounds of violating the 1999 Constitution.

The demonstrators insisted that democracy cannot thrive without credible opposition and warned that attempts to weaken opposition parties could lead to widespread unrest and erode public trust in the judiciary.