…Calls for International Intervention, seeks Trump’s support

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has warned that any move to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition political parties could plunge Nigeria into a serious national crisis and undermine the country’s democratic foundations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Frank, in a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, described the alleged move as a direct attack on Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and claimed it formed part of a wider agenda to weaken opposition forces before the next general election.

He called on United States President Donald Trump and the international community to urgently intervene to safeguard democracy and prevent what he described as attempts to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

According to Frank, reports indicated that the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Mohammed A. Danjuma, had earlier directed Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court to stay further proceedings in the matter pending the hearing and determination of an appeal scheduled for October 27, 2026.

He, however, questioned the circumstances surrounding the delivery of the judgment, describing it as suspicious, abrupt and inconsistent with due judicial process.

“The judgment came suddenly without prior notice to the parties involved. From the information available to us, it appeared the judgment had been prepared elsewhere and merely delivered by the court,” he alleged.

Frank claimed that neither the affected parties nor their legal representatives were informed ahead of the ruling.

“Nobody knew about it. There was no prior information or briefing, even to lawyers representing the parties. The judgment was delivered suddenly. It was carefully plotted to create an appearance of legitimacy without properly notifying those involved,” he alleged.

Describing the ruling as a “mystery judgment,” Frank further alleged that external political interests influenced both the preparation and delivery of the verdict.

“From the information we received, the judgment was written elsewhere and handed over to the judge. The Office of the Attorney-General allegedly prepared the script while the judge merely acted it out,” he claimed.

The former APC spokesman alleged that the reported move to deregister opposition parties was part of a broader campaign to suppress alternative political voices and consolidate power ahead of 2027.

“Any attempt by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and those working with him to deregister political parties, especially major opposition platforms like the ADC, could trigger a crisis that may become difficult to contain,” he warned.

Frank argued that the matter transcends partisan politics and directly affects Nigerians’ constitutional rights to political participation and freedom of association.

“This issue goes beyond ADC or any individual politician. It concerns the constitutional rights of Nigerians to freely associate, participate in politics and choose their leaders through credible and competitive elections,” he stated.

He further alleged that opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and ADC, had come under sustained pressure aimed at weakening their internal structures and influence.

“We have witnessed repeated attempts to destabilise opposition parties across the board — from ADC to PDP, Labour Party and others. These actions appear targeted at suppressing alternative voices and consolidating political control,” he alleged.

Frank also expressed concern over what he described as growing public distrust regarding the independence of the judiciary.

“There are increasing concerns among Nigerians over whether some judges are acting independently or under political influence. These concerns cannot simply be ignored,” he said.

He further alleged that the relationship between some members of the executive arm and the judiciary had raised questions about institutional neutrality.

“A situation where government officials allegedly provide houses, vehicles, land and other benefits to members of the judiciary naturally raises serious concerns. Many Nigerians now believe the judiciary has been compromised by powerful interests within government,” he alleged.

Frank also questioned what he described as the repeated assignment of politically sensitive cases to a particular judge.

“This particular judge has become associated with controversial rulings. Whenever there is an attempt to destabilise political parties or undermine democratic processes, the same judge is often linked to such cases,” he alleged.

The political activist maintained that many Nigerians viewed the ADC as a growing national platform with broad support cutting across ethnic, regional and religious lines.

“The ADC and its presidential candidate represent, in the eyes of many Nigerians, a truly national movement that transcends ethnic, regional and religious divisions. Any politically motivated attempt to cripple such a platform will ultimately fail,” he said.

Frank further alleged that there were growing concerns in some quarters that certain political interests were determined to prevent a northern candidate from emerging in the next presidential election.

“There is a growing perception among many Nigerians that this government does not want a northern candidate on the ballot, and that this explains some of the developments currently unfolding,” he alleged.

Warning against shrinking the democratic space, Frank, who is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East A