The Kwankwasiyya Movement has raised alarm over what it described as “unfolding threats to Nigeria’s democracy,” blaming judicial inconsistencies and the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under its current leadership.
In a statement signed by Habibu Sale Mohammed, spokesperson of the movement, Kwankwasiyya condemned recent developments surrounding the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and INEC’s decision to suspend recognition of any faction pending judicial determination.
“While INEC may claim compliance with court orders, the broader circumstances reveal a dangerous pattern where conflicting judicial pronouncements and administrative decisions combine to paralyze political parties and weaken opposition platforms,” the statement said.
The movement also noted that similar crises have affected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), adding that “judicial interventions have often been contradictory and procedurally questionable, triggering prolonged leadership disputes and institutional uncertainty.”
“The cumulative effect is the systematic erosion of internal party democracy and the shrinking of the political space necessary for a healthy, competitive system,” it said.
Kwankwasiyya further accused the judiciary of disregarding established legal principles, including the doctrine of Stare Decisis, warning that conflicting court orders “create an environment where electoral management becomes susceptible to manipulation, discretion, and selective compliance.”
The movement also criticized INEC over its introduction of a voter revalidation exercise, describing it as “ill-timed” and “widely perceived as a deliberate and calculated attempt to disenfranchise millions of eligible Nigerian voters.”
According to the statement, “This revalidation exercise bears all the hallmarks of a systemic trap capable of suppressing voter turnout, distorting electoral participation, and disproportionately affecting opposition-leaning populations.”
In a strong warning, the movement said: “Let it be stated clearly: democracy cannot survive where political parties are incapacitated by judicial confusion and where the electoral umpire is perceived to be complicit, whether by action or omission, in the suppression of voters and the distortion of political competition.”
The group demanded the “immediate resignation of the INEC Chairman,” the “urgent suspension of the voter revalidation exercise,” and “greater judicial discipline and intervention by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to address conflicting rulings.”
It also called on political actors to “desist from weaponizing the judiciary for partisan advantage” and urged civil society and the international community “to remain vigilant in defending Nigeria’s democratic space.”
The statement concluded: “Nigeria’s future depends on strong institutions, credible processes, and the protection of the people’s right to freely choose their leaders. These must not be compromised. The will of the people must prevail.”
