The Handshake Movement has accused unnamed political actors within the Presidency of orchestrating what it described as a plot to weaken opposition parties through the judiciary ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the movement’s Lead Advocate, Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, popularly known as IG Wala, described the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu as “a political hatchet job dressed in judicial robes.”
“The so-called judgement is not a judicial victory; it is a political hatchet job dressed in judicial robes, and its bubble has already burst,” Wala said.
He alleged that the suit instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators was politically motivated and linked to associates of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to the President.
According to him, “The strategy was simple but clumsy: use a shadow proxy group to establish plausible deniability for the Presidency while deploying the weight of the state to strangulate the political space.”
Wala further alleged that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice compromised the neutrality expected of his office by joining the matter as a plaintiff.
“An official who is supposed to represent the entire federation abandoned all pretence of neutrality and joined the matter as a plaintiff. This is a textbook institutional gang-up designed to eliminate viable opposition platforms because the ruling elite is terrified of a fair contest in 2027,” he said.
Questioning the legal basis of the ruling, the Handshake Movement leader argued that the court disregarded submissions made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He claimed that INEC had informed the court that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had complied with constitutional requirements and that there were no grounds for its deregistration.
“For a trial judge to ignore the regulator’s own submission in favour of a proxy group’s political sentiments amounts to extraordinary judicial overreach,” Wala stated.
He also alleged that the court proceeded with the matter despite an existing directive from the Court of Appeal.
“Justice Peter Lifu was fully aware of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal issued on May 22, 2026, directing a stay of proceedings on this very matter. By bypassing that directive to deliver a verdict, the judge engaged in conduct that undermines the hierarchy of the judiciary,” he alleged.
Wala said the move reflected what he described as the ruling party’s fear of facing the electorate in 2027 amid prevailing economic and security challenges.
“The government cannot face Nigerians in 2027 on the merit of performance. Because they cannot convince the voters, they are now attempting to choose the voters’ options for them,” he said.
He warned against attempts to undermine democratic institutions and insisted that opposition parties would continue their political activities.
“Nigeria belongs to its citizens, not to the whims and survival instincts of a panicked cabal operating from the corridors of power,” he said.
The activist disclosed that the movement would petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the conduct of the trial judge.
“A judge who actively disregards an appellate court’s stay of proceedings order cannot be allowed to bring the entire legal institution into disrepute for partisan convenience,” he said.
He also urged opposition supporters to remain calm and continue their mobilisation efforts.
“Remain completely calm, resolute and focused. This judgment is legally dead on arrival. Do not halt your campaigns and do not slow down your grassroots structures,” Wala said.
Maintaining confidence in the opposition’s participation in the next general election, he added: “You have miscalculated. By trying to bury the opposition through backdoor manoeuvres, you have only succeeded in unmasking your desperation and uniting democratic forces against you. The ADC and the coalition of progressive movements will be on the ballot in 2027. Democracy cannot and will not be strangled in Nigeria.”
As at the time of filing this report no official statement has been sighted from relevant quarters.
