2027: INEC Closing Political Space To Stop Opposition To APC – Amaechi
Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is thwarting opposition political groups’ plans to assemble a strong force against the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi, a former Minister of Transport and part of the African Democratic Party’s opposition alliance, made the statement on Thursday.
“Every opposition member who is part of the coalition is a member of the ADC.” Will we stop there? The answer is “no.” I lead a coalition-mandated committee to pursue the registration of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).
“Now, if INEC had registered ADA, we might not have bothered going to the ADC. The political space has been limited for the benefit of the APC. “I come to say that the INEC chairman is not ashamed,” he stated.
Amaechi said that the leadership was purposefully delaying the formation of opposition political groups.
“In truth, what is holding up the ADA for the time being is that we have yet to bring the addresses of our offices and the party officers, which we will submit at the next meeting. I don’t wish to summon the other parties involved in the registration, and INEC simply ignored it.
“Some of their rents have expired. So, the chairman of INEC is doing this on purpose to ensure that no one fights the APC. And they’re not even ashamed of organising the worst election after (Maurice) Iwu; I’d be ashamed,” he added.
The former governor, however, stated that the ADC will urge Nigerians to vote and prevent election cheating.”And with the way things are going, what ADC will do — and I said that all of us would do that — is to mobilise Nigerians to rise, to vote, and to stop these people from rigging, including the INEC, because those who constitute this rigging machine are not up to 10, in fact, two per cent of the population, the rest 98 per cent must get up and stop them, because if not, you’ll start crying again,” said the opposition leader.
The Opposition Coalition
The coalition includes several prominent figures. X@ADCNig.
There had been considerable speculation about the formation of a coalition to oppose President Bola Tinubu and the APC in the 2025 general elections.
READ ALSO: David Mark believes a coalition can save Nigeria from collapse and rebuild democracy.
Photo of President Bola Tinubu. Credit: Bayo Onanuga.
On Tuesday, the opposition alliance chose the ADC as a platform to defeat the ruling APC in the 2027 general elections.
The party named David Mark, a former Senate President who had resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as interim national chairman, and Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, as interim national secretary.
The group also includes opposition figures such as the PDP’s 2023 presidential contender, Atiku Abubakar, his Labour Party opponent, Peter Obi, and Nasir el-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State.
While addressing during the ADC’s unveiling, Mark urged Nigerians to join the coalition of opposition parties, claiming that the movement was poised to save the country from collapse and rebuild democracy.
He stated, “Let everyone know that this combination of national political opposition groups is about more than just gaining political power. It is a coordinated attempt to repair Nigeria’s failing democratic institutions.
“The mission is clear: rescue Nigeria. Rebuild Nigeria. Restore power to the people.
However, during a one-day presidential state visit to Nasarawa State on June 25, Tinubu described those at the forefront of forming a coalition to topple him ahead of the 2027 presidential election as politically displaced individuals.
The ruling APC further declared that any coalition against Tinubu will collapse.