A PROMINENT Second Republic politician, Usman Yakubu Wushshi, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reaching out to Supreme Court judges in a bid to influence rulings against opposition parties in ongoing legal disputes.
News Point Nigeria reports that Wushshi made the claims on Monday in Minna, the Niger State capital, during an interaction with a select journalists.
According to him, instructions were allegedly passed to one of the judges from the Niger Delta to rule against opposition parties, particularly in cases involving the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress.
“The instructions were handed down to one of the judges from the Niger Delta to rule against opposition parties,” he claimed.
He further alleged that several judges are under intense pressure to compromise legal standards and align with directives from the Federal Government, though some remain concerned about the long-term damage such actions could cause to their professional reputations, especially amid growing international scrutiny.
Wushshi argued that what he described as presidential interference in the judiciary has contributed to conflicting judgments in recent years, leading to a decline in public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.
He also accused the President of orchestrating crises within major opposition parties. Referring to a figure identified as Nafiu Bala, he alleged that the individual is under pressure and being used to destabilise opposition platforms.
According to Wushshi, many Nigerians have increasingly lost faith in the judiciary, a situation he said has also drawn concern from members of the international community.
The remarks come amid broader claims that the administration is attempting to steer Nigeria toward a one-party system by using judicial processes to weaken opposition parties, an allegation he said runs contrary to provisions of the Electoral Act.
The suits involving the PDP and ADC are scheduled for hearing on April 22, attracting attention from observers both within Nigeria and internationally, who see the cases as significant indicators of the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wushshi also alleged that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission acted under duress.
“What the INEC Chairman did was against his conscience, but he was forced to illegally remove the leadership names of the ADC, an action he lacks the power to do,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association, along with prominent legal figures including Femi Falana, Itse Sagay, and a former INEC Legal Director, have criticised the alleged removal of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from the Commission’s portal, describing the action as unlawful.
To support his allegations, Wushshi referenced two viral videos. In one, President Tinubu was said to have urged opposition parties to comply with court rulings while accusing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a leading figure in the ADC, of attempting to “privatise the party.”
In another video, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, was reportedly seen at a social event advising Hon. Leke Abejide to remain within the ADC and destabilise the party. Abejide, a member of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, is expected to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, a civil society organisation, the Alliance for Democratic Rights, has called on the Council of State to intervene, urging it to caution the President over alleged interference in opposition party affairs.
The group cited Section 83 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which states that courts lack jurisdiction over matters relating to the internal affairs of political parties.
“It is not a hidden fact that Section 83 of the Electoral Act stipulates that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain any case that concerns the administration of political parties,” the group stated.
Efforts to obtain reactions from the Presidency, the Supreme Court, and INEC were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.