Opposition Parties Call for Boycott of 2027 General Elections
Opposition parties in Nigeria have begun advocating for a boycott of the upcoming 2027 general elections, citing concerns over alleged bias by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the perceived efforts to make President Bola Tinubu the sole candidate. The Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Action Congress (AAC), led by National Chairman Omoyele Sowore, have been at the forefront of these calls.
The spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, mentioned that the party leadership is considering the option of a boycott. In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki faction, emphasized the necessity of the boycott to prevent opposition parties from legitimizing what he described as a “compromised and predetermined” process.
Ememobong accused INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of undermining opposition parties to ensure an uncontested victory for Tinubu. He raised concerns about the timing of INEC’s planned activities, including the clean-up of the voter register and monitoring of party records, warning that such measures could be used to deregister opposition parties.
He stated, “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.”
Sowore echoed these sentiments, stating that participation in an election lacking fairness would be pointless. He urged opposition parties to begin discussing a collective withdrawal if the situation did not improve. “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,” he said.
Internal Crises within Opposition Parties
Major opposition parties are currently grappling with internal crises that critics argue could weaken their positions ahead of the 2027 elections. The PDP is divided into two factions: one led by Taminu Turaki, backed by governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, and another led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, who is loyal to Nyesom Wike.
The ADC has also faced leadership disputes since 2025, following the assumption of leadership of a new National Working Committee by Senator David Mark. This conflict stems from disagreements over the tenure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, which ended in August 2022.
The Labour Party is caught in a protracted leadership crisis marked by conflicting court rulings and rival petitions. A Federal High Court in Abuja ordered INEC to recognize the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee as the legitimate leadership, but the Julius Abure faction rejected the decision, arguing that no court has the power to appoint leadership for any political party.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has also experienced internal divisions, with rival factions at the national and Kano State levels trading accusations of external interference.
APC Slams Opposition Parties
Reacting to the calls for a boycott, the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Basiru Ajibola, questioned the credibility of the opposition. He stated, “Which opposition? Is it people who cannot even organise their party affairs creditably and within the law and acceptable democratic ethos?” Ajibola described allegations against INEC as unfounded and noted that the opposition had fared poorly in recent elections.
NNPP Rejects Boycott, CSOs Express Concerns
Meanwhile, the NNPP has rejected the call for a boycott, with its Publicity Secretary, Dipo Johnson, stating that the party would not support withdrawing from the polls. He criticized the use of non-democratic methods and emphasized the need for the APC to win through democratic means.
Civil society organizations have also expressed concerns over the calls for a boycott, warning that it could undermine the democratic process and push the country towards a one-party system. Professor Nnamdi Aduba of Yiaga Africa noted that while concerns over the electoral process should be addressed, the threat of a boycott may be exaggerated.
Debo Adeniran, National President of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, attributed current difficulties largely to internal weaknesses within opposition parties and rejected calls for an election boycott. He emphasized that there is no justification for any party to boycott the election.
