2027: Makinde, Obi, Adebayo, Sowore, Ezekwesili, Others Seek Credible Poll

Presidential contenders in the 2027 election, drawn from different political parties, namely Governor Seyi Makinde, Peter Obi, Adewole Adebayo, and Omoyele Sowore, alongside former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, yesterday decried the state of Nigeria’s democracy.

They spoke at the high-level emergency stakeholders’ engagement on the 2027 general elections organised by the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE), with the theme: “Actualising Credible 2027 Elections in Nigeria.”

In his remarks, the Oyo State governor and PDP-APM presidential candidate, Makinde, stressed that a secure and stable Nigeria cannot be built on a fractured democratic foundation; hence, democracy must be protected at all costs.

Speaking through his Executive Assistant on Administration, Rev. Idowu Ogedengbe, the Oyo governor said credible elections are not just a periodic ritual of casting votes by the electorate but the bedrock of the entire democratic process.

“A credible election guarantees that the leaders who emerge carry the genuine mandate of the people. When a leader knows they were truly chosen by the ballot, they carry a burden of legitimacy.

“Leaders elected through credible elections answer to the citizens, not to a cabal of political godfathers or vested interests. This legitimacy gives government the moral authority to enforce laws, collect revenues, and enact policies necessary for development,” he added.

According to Ezekwesili, the country’s democracy since 1999 has steadily lost the confidence of citizens, and the situation is presently worsening; hence, Nigeria no longer fully qualifies to be called a democratic nation.

The former minister, who is the chairman of the convening committee of MCE, said that by 2023, only 23 per cent of registered voters participated in the presidential election that produced the current administration.

She said this clearly showed that Nigeria had fallen below even the low African average of about 47 per cent voter turnout and that, compared to global data, the country recorded less than one-third participation in elections.

Ezekwesili said this stemmed from distrust in public institutions saddled with the responsibility of conducting credible elections.

“The key reason we are gathered today is to look at how we can create solidarity to ensure that our democracy does not collapse completely. It is edging towards collapse based on the indicators that define democratic societies.

“We no longer fully qualify to be called a democracy. One major crisis is the increasing use of state power against dissenting voices, whether political dissenters or citizens who criticise the government.

“Repeated allegations and instances of intimidation, harassment, and arrest, especially by those who claim democratic credentials, are causes for deep concern in a democracy.

“Citizens must have the liberty to exercise their rights and, as we approach the 2027 elections, citizens operating under fear that their voices will be muffled and their freedoms violated should give everyone reason to worry,” she added.

The pro-democracy activist said the credibility of any electoral process lies in guaranteeing a transparent and level playing field, but unfortunately, that no longer seems to be the case.

She noted that, “In recent months, we have seen defections and intra-party conflicts often alleged to have been instigated by the government, to the extent that Nigerians no longer have the right to choose those they believe will serve them. Such actions undermine the core of competitive democracy.”

Ezekwesili insisted that public confidence in electoral credibility depends heavily on trust in the electoral umpire — the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) — as well as confidence in the judiciary and security agencies.

“Allegations of political interference, inconsistent judicial rulings on electoral disputes, and the deployment of security forces during party meetings do nothing to strengthen that confidence.

“There is growing anxiety that our elections are entirely monetised and that nothing else matters in our democratic process beyond money. When one considers that many politicians had no visible record of generational wealth before entering public office, it becomes clear that there is a strong correlation between corruption and Nigeria’s decline towards fragility.

“Nigeria has persistently declined and is now ranked among the 13th or 14th most fragile countries. It would take only a small push for it to fall into the category of a failed state. No Nigerian who cares about future generations should sit back and watch this trajectory continue.

“It is troubling that even opposition parties show little concern for the suffering of Nigerians. How else can one explain children being abducted from schools, sometimes not rescued and sometimes not even acknowledged as abducted, yet there is no strong collective outrage from political actors? Instead, we see greater concern for party tickets than for human lives,” she submitted.

For his part, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said Nigeria’s dwindling democracy can only be addressed through credible electoral processes.

Represented by the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, he said credible elections require that a proper voters’ register be put in place.

Obi noted that while the continuous voter registration exercise is ongoing, “some persons have been disenfranchised, especially from the South-East,” saying it portends danger for the electoral process.

“We are asking and demanding that electoral reforms should be urgently revisited in the interest of free, fair, and credible elections, and we say this with passionate zeal,” he added.

Also speaking, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, blamed President Bola Tinubu for the challenges facing democracy in the country.

Adebayo particularly accused the president of interfering in the affairs of different political parties, saying: “Tinubu is not content with belonging to only one party because he signed into law a provision that says you must belong to only one political party, yet he wants to belong to every political party.

“He wants to have his own parallel organs in every political party, parallel candidates, and he wants to score 10 million votes even if only 300,000 people are voting,” Adebayo said.

He called on political parties to maintain their autonomy, fight for their independence, and ensure that only serious-minded individuals belong to their fold if they hope to rescue democracy in the country.

“…the people are pleading with us to come and rescue them by taking over the transition and ensuring that every step is driven by the people, making them democratic vigilantes.

“This is the fight of our generation. It is our destiny to defeat Tinubu. It is our destiny to put an end to the idea that Nigeria can become the personal estate of one person and, once we manage to do that, no other person will try it again,” he stated.

Another former presidential candidate on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, said that for democracy to be salvaged, the present leadership of the country must be removed through the ballot in the 2027 polls.

He said while the current administration of President Tinubu must be rejected and voted out, Nigerians must also be wary of other emerging leaders, as they may end up being no different from those currently in power.

Sowore blamed politicians who seek endorsements from former leaders whom he accused of contributing to Nigeria’s present condition, especially those seeking the presidency.

“If you look at Nigeria today, Babangida is still part of the political equation, Obasanjo is still part of the political equation, especially for those of you seeking presidential candidacy who go to their houses to seek endorsement. You are as guilty as they are. You must separate yourselves from the rotting past.

“…We must tell ourselves the truth, that joining hands together is not an anathema. And nobody should be begging anybody to join hands together,” he said.

The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Dr Sam Amadi, noted that political parties were not living up to expectations in challenging INEC to fulfil its responsibilities in advancing democracy.

He called on opposition political parties to form a formidable coalition if they truly want to wrest power from the ruling party.

“Why are we always having multiple presidential candidates? Must everybody be a presidential candidate? Must everybody be a governor? It is also important on our side to find a way to build a stronger coalition for this movement.

“We cannot hope to defeat the status quo by splitting into different groups. So, I want to tell everybody that all of you are qualified to be presidents. All of you can be governors and senators, but it is not feasible to defeat the status quo by being lone rangers.

“You have to come together, then we can examine the differences, harmonise them, and reach a common agreement on issues to move away from this current darkness,” Amadi added.