Nigeria’s future cannot be left to politicians alone – Dr Akinyemi

In this interview with EDWARD NNACHI, Dr Bolaji Akinyemi, a public affairs analyst, democracy advocate, human rights activist and social crusader weighs in on the deregistration of the National Democratic Coalition, state of Nigeria’s democracy, role of the judiciary, governance, insecurity, the economy, preparations for the 2027 general elections and more

What implications does the deregistration of the NDC hold for Nigeria’s democracy, political pluralism and the future of opposition politics?

The deregistration of any political party should not be dismissed as a mere administrative exercise. It raises fundamental questions about the health of our democracy, the openness of our political space and the level of confidence citizens have in our electoral institutions. Democracy thrives on competition, inclusion and choice—not on the restriction of political participation. Beyond political parties, however, I am even more concerned about what I describe as the technical deregistration of voters. When citizens who have already