“2027 will be Nigerians vs INEC, not political parties” — Nwoye; Johnson says Obi-Kwankwaso alliance remains intact

A social and political analyst, Chijioke Nwoye, has warned that Nigeria’s 2027 general election will be less of a contest between political parties and more of a confrontation between citizens and state institutions, alleging that opposition parties are being systematically weakened ahead of the polls.

Mr Nwoye made the remarks on Wednesday, on People’s voice program on Voice of the People (VOP) TV, where he argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was using state institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, to frustrate opposition parties before the commencement of campaigns.

“The 2027 election is going to be a very tough election. It is going to be between Nigerians and INEC, not even APC and NDC or PDP—no, it’s going to be between Nigerians and the system,” Mr Nwoye declared.

Mr Nwoye’s comments followed recent public clarification by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who denied endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027 after reports circulating on social media claimed traditional rulers had thrown their support behind the President’s re-election bid.

Opposition under pressure

Speaking on the political climate ahead of the election, Mr Nwoye said the worsening economic hardship, insecurity and public dissatisfaction had increased voter determination, adding that attempts to weaken opposition parties through prolonged legal battles would ultimately fail.

“Everyone is seeing what is happening in the country. No one is safe; even the rich sometimes look like they are not safe,” he said.

He alleged that opposition parties were being distracted from political mobilisation through court cases and internal disputes.

“They are using everything within their power to make sure that they frustrate all these political parties… The time other political parties would use in campaigning or building their structure, they are using it to go to court and argue this and that,” Mr Nwoye said.

The analyst specifically alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was facing coordinated pressure from state institutions.

“To me, everyone knows that NDC is doing everything within their power to make sure that they are on the ballot box, and APC, INEC, and EFCC are using everything to frustrate them,” he asserted.

NDC sets up reconciliation panel

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress has inaugurated a seven-member reconciliation panel chaired by Professor Pat Utomi to resolve internal disputes arising from its primary elections, including the controversy surrounding the submission of two candidates for the Edo South Senatorial ticket.

The panel was constituted on Thursday following concerns over the party’s internal nomination process after INEC listed both Hon. Sunday Agubo and Mrs Akule C. as candidates for the Edo South Senatorial seat.

Speaking on Voice of the People TV, the NDC’s Lagos Central Senatorial candidate, Ladipo Johnson, attributed the development to the party’s rapid expansion and the compressed timetable for candidate submissions.

“When you have a situation where so many people from different places rushed into a party within such a short time… it became slightly difficult for the national working committee to control such a number of people,” Mr Johnson explained.

He, however, maintained that the party remained firmly on course ahead of the commencement of official campaigns.

Obi-Kwankwaso alliance intact

Mr Johnson also dismissed reports suggesting a rift between the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

According to him, the alliance between the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement remained strong despite recent disagreements involving supporters over the management of the coalition’s digital platforms.

“There’s no issue at all whatsoever between the Obidients and the Kwankwasiyya… The working together is getting stronger by the day,” he said.

Explaining the source of the controversy, Mr Johnson added:

“A few people from the Obidient movement… had an issue with the director-general. Someone had access to the X handle and changed the password and started to issue directives.”

The Edo South dispute prompted emergency consultations involving senior party leaders, including Senator Seriake Dickson, as the party moves to streamline its internal processes ahead of nationwide campaigns expected to begin later in August.