Opposition parties have begun considering a boycott of the 2027 general elections, citing alleged bias by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and what they described as attempts to clear the political space for President Bola Tinubu to run unchallenged.
The call for a possible boycott was championed by the Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party and the National Chairman of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore.
However, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the proposal would be considered by its leadership.
Speaking with Sunday Punch, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki faction of the PDP, Ini Ememobong, said a boycott might become necessary if the opposition were to avoid legitimising what he described as a compromised electoral process.
He accused INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately weakening opposition parties in order to pave the way for an uncontested election.
According to him, recent actions by the electoral body, including the derecognition of the David Mark-led National Working Committee of the ADC, have deepened divisions among opposition parties.
Ememobong also raised concerns over the timing of INEC’s planned activities, such as the clean-up of the voter register and monitoring of party records.
He warned that such actions could potentially be used to deregister opposition parties.
Ememobong said, “All opposition parties are in a precarious situation. It is either we find a platform or collectively pull out and allow them to have their fun.
“The only thing that can be gleaned from INEC’s disposition is that it wants to foist a coronation, an uncontested election in 2027. The opposition must think outside the box.”
He added, “This regime is determined to impose itself on Nigerians whether they want it or not. We must adopt unconventional but legal strategies to apply pressure. If they don’t yield, we boycott early to save the nation unnecessary costs.”
‘Why Participate In An Unfair Election?’ — Sowore
Similarly, the AAC National Chairman, Omoyele Sowore, said participating in an election lacking credibility would be pointless.
He claimed that recent actions by the electoral commission suggest that preparations for the next election may not provide a level playing field for all parties.
Sowore said, “Political parties met with INEC, and the position of every political party is that these guys are not planning an election. They are doing things so there is no room for any other party to compete.
“If we can’t have an atmosphere for a free, fair and credible election, why are we wasting time participating? If all the political parties are serious, we should be discussing a boycott now.”
Reacting to the proposal, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party understood the concerns raised by the Turaki-led PDP faction.
However, he noted that any decision on a possible boycott would have to be taken by the party leadership.
“Boycotting the election is a position that will have to be considered by our party leadership, but we understand why they are making that demand,” Abdullahi said.
He added that despite the concerns, the ADC remained confident about its chances in the next general election.
“We are going to vacate the space for APC, but we are convinced that we will win this election regardless of what they do,” he said.
The debate over a possible boycott comes amid rising tensions within opposition ranks and growing scrutiny of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
