Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has launched a scathing attack on the recent Lokoja court ruling affecting the party, describing it as a dangerous blow to Nigeria’s democracy and evidence of a growing assault on the country’s democratic institutions.

In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Obi warned that Nigeria’s legislature and judiciary were increasingly being drawn into actions capable of destroying public trust and weakening the foundations of democratic governance.
The former Anambra State governor said he received news of the ruling while attending official engagements in Imo State, where he visited the School of Nursing Sciences in Emekuku before proceeding to events in honour of the 80th birthday of Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri, Anthony Obinna, and later Madonna University.

According to Obi, the judgment should alarm every Nigerian who cares about the country’s future.

“Every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be deeply concerned. This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends,” he stated.

Without naming specific individuals, Obi accused some political actors of deliberately weakening the institutions designed to safeguard democracy.

“It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it. In doing so, they are undermining public confidence and endangering the future of millions of Nigerians,” he said.

Obi warned that the continued erosion of institutional independence poses a direct threat to democratic governance and national stability.

“The legislature and the judiciary are increasingly being drawn into this pattern of institutional decline. Democracy cannot thrive where institutions lose their independence and credibility,” he said.

In one of his strongest criticisms yet of recent political developments, Obi declared that those seeking to manipulate or weaken democratic institutions were endangering the country’s future for short-term political advantage.

“Those who seek to weaken Nigeria’s democratic foundations will not ultimately prevail,” he said.

Drawing parallels with what he described as previous actions against opposition parties, Obi recalled that he had spoken out when similar developments affected the ADC, insisting that his position was based on democratic principles rather than partisan interests.

“When a similar situation recently affected the ADC, I condemned it without hesitation. I do so again today because my position has always been guided by principle.”

Obi stressed that the issue transcended political competition and was fundamentally about preserving the integrity of the Nigerian state.

“My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works,” he said.

“Our politics must move beyond the quest for power and focus instead on building a united nation founded on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law and equal opportunity.”

The NDC presidential candidate warned that no democracy can survive when institutions become vulnerable to political interference, urging Nigerians to resist attempts to weaken the country’s democratic architecture.

“I therefore urge all well-meaning Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend our democracy. The survival of our institutions is inseparable from the survival of our nation,” he stated.

Obi’s intervention comes amid growing opposition criticism of the Lokoja court ruling, which set aside an earlier judgment directing the registration of the NDC. The party has since announced plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal, arguing that the verdict threatens political pluralism ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ending on a note of defiance, Obi insisted that Nigeria’s democratic future must not be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

“The Nigeria we seek is one built on justice, fairness and strong institutions. It is only by working together to defend these values that the New Nigeria of our dreams can become possible,” he said.