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By Ify Okoli

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take a cue from former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that neither of them sought to deregister opposition political parties while in office.

Atiku made the remark on Saturday while reacting to moves to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) through the courts, warning that any attempt to weaken political opposition could undermine Nigeria’s democratic values.

The former Vice President said democracy thrives when political parties are allowed to compete freely and fairly, adding that efforts to limit political competition risk damaging public confidence in the country’s electoral process.

According to him, the strength of any democratic government lies not in eliminating opposition but in allowing voters to freely choose among competing political parties.

“Former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari never deregistered opposition political parties. Copy and learn from them,” Atiku said.

He argued that leaders who enjoy genuine public support should have no reason to fear political competition or open elections.

“If you’re truly popular and your policies have positively bettered the lives of the citizens, you shouldn’t be afraid of free and fair competition,” he added.

Atiku’s comments come amid growing political debate over the reported attempt to remove the NDC from Nigeria’s list of registered political parties. The development has sparked fresh reactions from political figures and observers, with concerns being raised about its possible impact on the country’s democratic space ahead of future elections.

Although the legal process surrounding the NDC remains ongoing, Atiku maintained that preserving a level playing field for all political parties is essential to sustaining public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.

His intervention adds to the mounting calls for political tolerance and adherence to democratic principles, with many insisting that elections should be decided by the people at the ballot box rather than by restricting the participation of opposition parties.