A coalition of lawyers and civil society organisations has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Nigeria Police Force to reopen the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Secretariat or face immediate legal action.
The coalition comprising Lawyers for New Nigeria, Good Governance Initiative Coalition, and the Arewa Lawyers Union announced the ultimatum at a joint press conference on Monday in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Hassan Saraki, National Coordinator of LNN, said the continuous police blockade of the PDP secretariat was illegal and posed a direct threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy. He stressed that a functional opposition was essential for democratic balance and must not be suppressed through intimidation or unlawful interference.
“We give the police 24 hours to reopen the PDP national secretariat; failure to do that will result in legal action,” Saraki declared. “As lawyers, we cannot continue to see things going wrong and keep quiet.”
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Saraki described the events of November 18 and 20 when political thugs allegedly backed by security operatives invaded Wadata Plaza as a “coordinated assault on the soul of Nigeria’s democracy.” He insisted the incidents were not ordinary party disputes but a forceful occupation with no constitutional backing.
The coalition argued that the police actions violated Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees Freedom of Association, and Sections 221–229, which outline protections for political parties. Saraki emphasised that only a court of competent jurisdiction not force could overturn decisions of the PDP National Working Committee made at its Ibadan Convention.
He further warned that suppressing opposition voices risked pushing Nigeria toward authoritarianism, especially at a time when the nation faced intense global scrutiny over insecurity and political tensions.
The coalition demanded the immediate withdrawal of police officers from the PDP secretariat and called for a parliamentary inquiry into the alleged misuse of security agencies.
