The National Legal Officer of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of adopting what he described as Tanzania’s strategy of weakening opposition parties through arrests, legal battles and the use of state institutions.
Osunbor made the allegation during an interview with Arise News on Thursday, November 5, following the Federal High Court judgment in Abuja which nullified the leadership of the ADC led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The ADC legal officer described the judgment as an attempt to undermine the opposition party and discourage Nigerians who see Atiku and the ADC as an alternative amid the country’s economic hardship, insecurity and poverty.
Drawing comparisons with Tanzania under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Osunbor alleged that the APC was borrowing political strategies used to weaken opposition forces in that country.
“They are copying her, word for word and strategy for strategy: arresting opposition figures,” he said.
He also referenced the reported incarceration of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, alleging that arrests and court proceedings were being used to weaken political opponents.
Osunbor further accused the ruling party of attempting to use the judiciary and other government institutions to determine Nigeria’s political leadership instead of allowing citizens to freely choose their leaders through elections.
He argued that democracy must be based on the people’s votes rather than decisions allegedly influenced by a small group of powerful individuals.
The ADC official cited political developments in Brazil and the United States as examples of citizens exercising their democratic choices, questioning why Nigerians should be denied the same opportunity.
Describing the Federal High Court ruling as an attempt to dampen public confidence in the ADC, Osunbor said the party’s supporters should not be discouraged by the development.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East, who challenged the legitimacy of the David Mark-led leadership.
The court declared the Mark-led caretaker leadership illegal and nullified decisions taken under its authority, including the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku and nominations for other elective positions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The ruling has triggered a fresh crisis within the opposition party, with the ADC rejecting the decision and announcing plans to challenge it through the appellate courts.
The party has also questioned the judgment’s consistency with an earlier ruling delivered by another Federal High Court judge in July 2026, which it says recognised the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership.
Osunbor said the ADC would pursue its legal options, including seeking a stay of execution and appealing the judgment. He maintained that the party’s presidential ticket remained valid pending the resolution of the legal dispute.
The APC has not been established as having directed or sponsored the court action. The case was brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, and the court’s decision was based on the legal challenge before it. Osunbor’s allegation that the ruling party is behind a wider strategy to suppress the opposition remains a political claim.
The controversy has intensified questions about the independence of democratic institutions, internal party governance and the ability of opposition parties to participate fully in Nigeria’s 2027 electoral process.
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