Popular broadcaster and Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that the legal battle challenging the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) may be part of a wider effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Oseni made the claim on Monday during The Morning Show on Arise Television, where he expressed concerns over the timing of the court case seeking to nullify the NDC’s registration.
According to him, the lawsuit was filed just two days after Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, officially joined the NDC.
The broadcaster argued that the timing of the suit raises serious questions, especially as the case was reportedly initiated by what he described as a faceless group.
Oseni said the development follows what appears to be a repeated pattern involving opposition parties in recent months. He suggested that similar legal actions have continued to emerge whenever opposition forces begin to gain momentum.
He also referenced recent court proceedings involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), noting that several observers had questioned aspects of the judgment.
Speaking during the programme, Oseni insisted that opposition parties must remain vigilant as more legal and political challenges could emerge in the build-up to the next election cycle.
He said: “Let me start with NDC registration. I’m not surprised. I think I predicted it here. I said it. More will happen.
“You know why? There’s a grand attempt to ensure that opposition is weakened before the election, write it down. Grand attempt.
“Have you scrutinised the judgement? Have you seen the CTC?
“Peter Obi went to the NDC on the 3rd of May, that case was filed on the 5th of May in court. A lot of people have not even scrutinised that part.
“I said Peter Obi officially went to the NDC on the 3rd of May. The case was filed on the 5th of May by yet again another, you know, faceless group, and all of that, just like the one with the ADC, the same pattern.
“Like I predicted, since then nothing has happened to Justice Lifu. The only thing he got was a reprimand by the Court of Appeal, verbal reprimand.
“This too will go like that, so it’s a direct orchestration. I think the opposition party should not sleep, they’re going to have more.
“I mean, we’ve all seen the judgement. I don’t want to go into legalism, it falls flat on its face again. The NDC has said they’re going to get a stay of execution. Let’s see.
“I would like to advise INEC, please give them the issuance code. It’s not a big deal. Let parties be able to upload, because everything is looking like a grand conspiracy when you look at this election cycle, and I don’t know why some people are jittery. If you are confident, let opposition into the race. Don’t hold them back. Don’t do anything.
“In case your advisers are not advising you people well, you’re already tainting the credibility of the election by the time the elections will come. Anything that happens, these are part of the stories we are going to tell.
“So, if you feel you can win, win freely, nobody’s holding you from winning, but all of this shenanigan, all of this kangaroo manipulation, and all of that, it’s not fair.
“It goes back to our initial premise that a lot of people try defending ‘Oh, they are not attacking the opposition, they themselves have their own internal squabble.’”
Oseni further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure fairness by granting the NDC the necessary access to complete its registration process.
He warned that any move seen as limiting opposition participation could damage public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of 2027.
