Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has criticised Nigeria’s opposition leaders following the abrupt end of their recent anti-Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) protest, describing it as ineffective.
The demonstration, which reportedly lasted about three days, ended without achieving its stated objectives, prompting Adeyanju to question the opposition’s ability to sustain coordinated civic action.
The protest was led by key figures in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark—who is recognised as the party’s National Chairman—as well as former presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
The group had marched to the INEC headquarters over the commission’s decision to derecognise the party’s leadership amid internal disputes. INEC had cited a court ruling as the basis for its action, a move the opposition argued could affect its participation in the 2027 elections.
Reacting on Monday, Adeyanju expressed disappointment over the short duration of the protest, saying it failed to produce any meaningful outcome.
“The anti-INEC protests ended after three days without achieving anything, despite all the opposition leaders backing and funding it. These are the people that want to remove Bola Tinubu from power,” he said.
He further argued that the development reflects a decline in sustained activism and opposition engagement in the country.
“Activism and opposition in Nigeria is dead,” he added.
Adeyanju compared the recent protest to earlier movements he was involved in, including the #ResumeOrResign campaign during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which called for transparency during Buhari’s medical absence abroad.
“I remember how 14 of us shut down Nigeria under Buhari during the #ResumeOrResign movement, despite all the hired pro-government protests against us,” he said.
He also referenced a prolonged protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja over the killing of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites.
“I also organised a 109-day protest against the killing of Shiites at the Unity Fountain,” Adeyanju stated.
He concluded by criticising leading opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, for what he described as their inability to sustain long-term protest actions.
“But Atiku, Obi, Amaechi and others couldn’t sustain a protest for even one week,” he added..…Continue Reading
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