De-registration of parties plot to undermine our democracy

The co-chairman of the Movement for Democratic Renewal (MDR) and presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has described the Federal High Court order directing the deregistration of five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Accord Party, as evidence of what he called a systematic effort to weaken opposition politics and undermine democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reacting to the court ruling in a statement issued by his campaign office on Tuesday, Hashim said the development validates concerns he had repeatedly raised since 2024 regarding what he alleged was a coordinated strategy to make President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the only viable presidential contender in 2027.

According to him, recent developments in the nation’s political landscape indicate a deliberate, multilayered effort to weaken opposition parties and restrict political competition.\

Hashim recalled that he had consistently warned that opposition governors were being pressured to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that those who resisted faced political intimidation and blackmail.

“Those who refused are hunted and blackmailed,” he stated.