Politics
Presidential poll: Kwankwaso, Obi threaten APC, PDP dominance
The New Nigeria Peoples Party and Labour Party, with their popular candidates, may pose a serious threat to the dominant All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections.
Before the primaries conducted by various political parties to field candidates for the 2023 general elections, several parties, political groups and prominent Nigerians were in the news over their search for a ‘Third Force’ that would dislodge and end the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. The two dominant parties have been governing Nigeria at the presidential level since 1999.
While the PDP governed for 16 years, from 1999 to 2015, the APC took over in 2015 and has spent seven years in power. The next presidential election will hold in 2023 when the APC would have spent eight years and the ‘smaller’ parties are currently aligning and realigning forces in their bid to take on the APC and the PDP. However, the planned mergers and alliances seem not to have materialised yet.
However, individual parties and candidates seem to be making efforts, perhaps from the regional and zonal levels. Out of the 18 parties presently registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission, the APC and the PDP included, two other parties are getting the attention of the electorate, especially in their strongholds.
They are the New Nigeria People’s Party and the Labour Party. The NNPP and the LP have been in existence before now, with the latter winning elections in previous general elections. But, perhaps, due to their presidential candidates, they are now under the public spotlight.
While a former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso, is the candidate of the NNPP, a former Governor of Anambra State is running for the Office of the President on the platform of the LP.
Not only that, close watchers of events and the politicking going on in Kano State, which is considered to be the base of the NNPP and Kwankwaso, have expressed fears over the widening popularity of the opposition party under Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the APC.
It is worthy to note that Kano presently has three influential politicians – Ganduje, Kwankwaso and another former governor, Ibrahim Shekarau. It will be noted that the trio have always formed alliances – two against one – in the previous elections. This time, Kwankwaso dumped the PDP for the NNPP while Shekarau quit the APC to join Kwankwaso.
The fears are also based on the fact that Kano is strategic to the electoral victory of the APC, especially that of its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The North-West is said to have the highest voting population in the country (followed by the South-West), with Kano, which Ganduje often describes as a swing state, having the biggest voting bloc in the geopolitical zone.
In the South-West, it is Lagos where Tinubu was its two-term governor. The block votes in Kano were said to have been so attractive that the annual Tinubu Colloquium, a lecture series marking his birthday, which is usually held in Lagos and Abuja, with political heavyweights and allies in attendance, was moved to the state in 2021.
However, Kwankwaso and his NNPP are said to be staging a political tsunami against the APC in Kano, with mass defections recorded in the state already, including close aides to Ganduje and prominent members of the Tinubu Campaign.
Obi of the Labour Party was a member of the PDP until a few days before the presidential primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its standard-bearer. Some presidential aspirants like Obi in the PDP had left the race, with one of them describing the scramble for delegates’ votes as “obscenely monetised.”
Perhaps, Obi saw the handwriting on the wall. He defected from the PDP to the LP. Being from the South-East where there are agitations over an alleged marginalisation of the zone – a zone that has never produced a president for the country, sentiments from the area have been in Obi’s favour.
Those following Obi’s campaign have also noted the massive youth support he enjoys especially on social media. Though INEC has said virtual support doesn’t count but actually ballot votes, several ‘influencers’ are now mobilising for registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards by eligible Nigerians, also in the move to end APC and PDP’s reign.
On June 12 when Nigeria was marking Democracy Day, Obi had addressed the issue of lacking the political structure to defeat the ‘principalities and powers’ called the APC and the PDP. Speaking via his verified Twitter handle (@PeterObi), the presidential candidate tweeted, “Whenever I hear of no structure, my answer to it is simple: the 100 million Nigerians that live in poverty will be the structure. The 35 million Nigerians who don’t know where their next meal will come from will be the structure. The elderly, our mothers, fathers and the old ones (who are) dying or being owed gratuity/pension will be the structure. ASUU: the lecturers that are being owed and the students who are not in school will be the structure. We’ll create the structure, and they’ll see what the structure is all about. The structure is about human beings. — PO”
A Professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Emmanuel Onyebuchi, stated that should parties have to choose their vice-presidential candidates from the South, and they cannot pick Obi from the South-East geopolitical zone, then they should look for one in the South-South.
Onyebuchi said, “Let me start by saying that one of the mistakes made by the PDP was to frustrate Obi out of the party. Things are changing seriously in Nigeria. The frustration and the hardships that the citizens are suffering have made them start looking for men of integrity and impeccable character, and such people are very few, and Obi is one of them. I don’t know what actually transpired. Obi leaving the PDP is a very big minus for the party because some of us had already concluded that he was going to be the running mate to Atiku because we have looked around and there are just one or two credible candidates remaining. I don’t know what happened, even with Atiku himself. It is a real problem now. It is a very big problem now because I don’t know any other candidate that commands the respect and trust within the South-East like Obi. He has the backing of the Church and so on. I can see people awakening from their deep slumber; you can see the rush for PVCs. People are charged; people are highly mobilised right now.”
The lecturer added, “For the PDP, I think the best option left for them now is to look for a credible candidate from the South-South.”
The professor dismissed the claim that parties were sceptical about picking candidates from the South-East due to its low voting population, stating that Nigerians would be shocked with the mass turnout of voters in the 2023 general elections to support Obi. He said, “What I am telling you now is that people have awoken from their slumber. The problem with the South-East is not voters’ turnout. If you can see what is happening now with the level of mobilisation, people would be shocked by the (huge) turnout in 2023. People would be surprised by the level of turnout from the South-East and all over the federation where the people of the South-East are living. They are now mobilising to get their PVCs. And if they match it with coming out to vote, Nigerians would be surprised by the number of votes coming from the South-East. As I said, the PDP made a very big mistake by frustrating Obi out of the party and most of the votes from the South-East and the major cities where the Igbo are living would go to Peter Obi.”
A former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and investigate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his reported pledge of N10 million to each of Rivers State’s 319 councillors for delivering their respective wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Sara-Igbe described the alleged pledge as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that Wike’s position as a serving minister should not shield him from investigation.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, reportedly made the promise during a media chat last week, urging the councillors to ensure that President Tinubu wins their respective wards in the 2027 elections in exchange for N10 million each.
With 319 councillors representing the state’s 319 wards across 23 local government areas, the proposed financial commitment would amount to N3.19 billion if fully implemented.
Speaking in an interview with The Southern Examiner, Sara-Igbe questioned why the FCT Minister had not been invited for questioning by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the reported statement.
He argued that the alleged pledge raised serious concerns about compliance with electoral laws, particularly provisions relating to financial inducements and electoral malpractice.
“We are not in a banana republic where anything goes, no laws. Our security personnel must prove to Nigerians and the entire world that our laws are not implemented haphazardly, depending on who is involved,” he said.
The Kalabari elder also criticised INEC for what he described as its silence over the matter, insisting that electoral regulations must apply equally to all Nigerians, regardless of their political influence or official positions.
Sara-Igbe, who acknowledged that Wike was once his close associate, said Nigeria’s democracy could only develop when citizens rejected injustice, unfairness and inequality.
He warned that political statements capable of encouraging financial inducements could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Utterances such as the one Wike spewed out from his mouth could truncate our hard-won democracy and expose our nation to public ridicule. This is why the matter should not be swept under the carpet. Wike must be made to pay for such an unguarded statement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sara-Igbe denied allegations that he was involved in instigating the renewed political disagreement between Wike and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He also dismissed claims that his position was motivated by ethnic considerations, maintaining that his disagreement with Wike was based on political principles and what he described as the need to protect Rivers State’s interests.
He accused Wike and his supporters of attempting to undermine Fubara’s administration, arguing that the governor should be allowed to exercise his constitutional mandate without undue political interference.
Sara-Igbe further disclosed that his political position informed his decision to support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He described Lulu-Briggs as a candidate with the capacity to pursue economic development in the state, highlighting proposals to decongest Port Harcourt, develop other urban centres such as Ahoada, Omoku and Bori, and harness Rivers State’s tourism potential.
He also criticised the Rainbow Coalition over what he described as the introduction of ethnic considerations into the search for an APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise is aimed at testing upgrades to the commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic results transmission ahead of the polls.
The development comes as INEC disclosed that it had commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the planned mock exercise on Thursday during a dialogue at Chatham House in London.
The event, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, was themed, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
According to a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the exercise would simulate the presidential election and enable the commission to assess the efficiency of its accreditation and electronic results transmission systems.
“On the 28th of this month, we will conduct a mock accreditation and voting exercise across all states of the federation to simulate the presidential election and verify that we have gotten both accreditation and electronic result transmission right,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan also disclosed that the commission had introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal.
He said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen the credibility, transparency and reliability of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Chief Emeka Okafor Esq, has called on Voters of Igbo Extraction living in Ondo State to come out in their numbers and vote massively for APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 16th of January 2026.
Chief Emeka Okafor made the call in Akure during the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Rally which took place in Akure, Ondo state.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary stated that South East and Ndi Igbo have benefitted massively from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and All Progressives Congress. He opined that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meant well for the Country and the President’s reform is yielding the necessary results.
Barr Emeka Okafor stated that Ndi Igbo has always been part of National Party. “Being with the Party at Centre has always been beneficial to Ndi Igbo and 2027 will not be an exception. He urged Igbo Voters in Ondo to support APC and Mr President’s re-election bid.
The chieftain also urged stakeholders to support all APC candidates for the National and State Assemblies in the forthcoming elections, saying party members must work hard to deliver the desired results.
Barr Okafor made the appeal as He joined the Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, other APC leaders and stakeholders at the party’s campaign rallies in Akure, the Capital of Ondo state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned political actors against the use of the controversial slogan, “Rig and Die”, ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such inflammatory rhetoric could trigger electoral violence and endanger innocent lives.
The Commission also warned that electoral officials, including ad hoc staff, who compromise the integrity of elections would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warnings during a media engagement forum for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones held in Enugu.
Haruna expressed concern over the increasing use of inflammatory political statements and threats, noting that such utterances could put the lives of presiding officers, electoral ad hoc personnel, party agents and election observers at risk.
He urged political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful participation, stressing that grievances arising from election outcomes should be addressed through established legal channels, including INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than through violence.
The National Commissioner also called for stronger collaboration between INEC and the media to promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections in 2027.
He described the media as an indispensable partner in the electoral process, noting that public confidence in elections depended largely on accurate, balanced and professional reporting.
Haruna warned journalists against publishing unverified results, manipulated videos, misleading projections and sensational political narratives capable of misleading the public and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
He specifically cautioned against premature result announcements, insisting that only INEC, through its duly appointed returning officers, had the authority to declare election results.
“Results are declared only by the Commission through its duly appointed returning officers. Projections and unofficial figures must be clearly labelled as such,” he said.
He further advised media organisations to verify allegations against the Commission through appropriate channels before publication and exercise caution when reporting electoral incidents.
Haruna also advocated inclusive election coverage, urging journalists to give adequate attention to women, youths and persons with disabilities, particularly the challenges affecting their participation in the electoral process.
He encouraged media organisations to intensify voter education on Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), accreditation procedures, electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Journalists Urged to Uphold Professional Ethics
In a separate presentation on ethical and professional standards in election reporting, resource person, Mr Osaretin Imahheyierobo, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s election coverage guidelines and the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
He expressed concern that some journalists covering elections were not sufficiently conversant with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing electoral reporting.
Imahheyierobo urged media organisations to establish dedicated election desks, develop editorial guidelines and strengthen fact-checking mechanisms ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also stressed the need for journalists to understand INEC’s technological innovations, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to ensure accurate reporting of accreditation, voting and result-management processes.
He warned media practitioners against compromising professional ethics for financial inducements, commonly referred to as brown envelopes. He maintained that political candidates should be subjected to objective scrutiny rather than having their claims and manifestoes amplified without proper examination.
The resource person also called for equitable media coverage of all political parties and candidates, noting that voters relied on credible information to make informed electoral decisions.
Earlier, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed that INEC had received approximately 35,000 Permanent Voter Cards for distribution across the state’s 260 wards.
He appealed to journalists to support public enlightenment campaigns to ensure that eligible voters collected their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Chukwu described the media as a strategic partner in voter education, public opinion formation and institutional accountability, warning that misinformation could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
While acknowledging the media’s independence and watchdog responsibilities, the REC urged journalists to uphold accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism in their coverage of electoral activities.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission remained committed to conducting credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in 2027, adding that it was open to constructive criticism and recommendations from media practitioners.
NUJ Raises Concerns Over Election Logistics
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the engagement but regretted that the initiative had not commenced early enough to accommodate more journalists before the election cycle gathered momentum.
Ogbuka also raised concerns over the apparent lack of adequate budgetary provisions for journalists’ logistics during election assignments, stressing that media practitioners required sufficient support to perform their duties effectively.
He further called on INEC to take deliberate steps to rebuild public confidence in the Commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
Participants at the engagement commended INEC’s preparations but urged the Commission to address weaknesses observed in previous elections, particularly the technical challenges that affected the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
They also called on INEC to recognise journalists as critical stakeholders in the electoral process and involve them more meaningfully in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his promise to reward councillors with ₦10 million each for delivering their respective wards ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the offer is a reward for political commitment and not an attempt to buy votes.
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, dismissing criticisms of the proposed incentives.
He argued that rewarding political mobilisers for their hard work and electoral performance should not be confused with inducing voters to influence election outcomes.
The minister had reportedly pledged ₦10 million to each councillor who successfully mobilises support and delivers their ward, a promise that sparked concerns over the possibility of vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Responding to the criticism, Wike said he never instructed the councillors to share money among voters in exchange for their votes. Rather, he challenged them to demonstrate commitment and deliver the expected electoral results.
“I didn’t tell them, ‘Take this money and go and buy votes.’ I said, ‘Go and work. Show commitment. Demonstrate that you really mean what you are talking about. When you win, come and we are going to reward you,’” he said.
To justify the offer, Wike compared the proposed political incentive to rewards given to athletes who win international competitions, arguing that such promises motivate people to achieve outstanding results.
He cited instances where athletes are promised houses and other benefits for returning from competitions with trophies, questioning why similar incentives in politics should automatically be considered bribery.
The FCT minister also faulted sections of the media for what he described as their failure to distinguish between legitimate performance-based rewards and vote-buying.
He argued that political parties and candidates routinely spend money on campaign advertisements without attracting similar criticism.
Wike challenged journalists to examine the distinction between financial inducements intended to influence voters and rewards promised to political organisers for meeting mobilisation targets.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway and the S1 Road, which incorporates a fire station.
He said the projects were expected to be completed by December 15, ahead of the January 16, 2027 general elections.
Wike further argued that the infrastructure achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration would provide a strong basis for its re-election campaign.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu was driven by the administration’s development agenda rather than party affiliation, insisting that Nigerians who genuinely desire progress should support policies and programmes aimed at national development.
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Nwokolo o Nwokolo
June 15, 2022 at 9:03 am
Nigerians get you pvc and vote wisely.