No Plan To Exclude Opposition From 2027 Elections – Presidency

The Presidency has dismissed claims that opposition parties were being sidelined ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that Nigeria’s political space remained open and inclusive.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, Sunday Dare, said there was no plan to restrict the ballot to only the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dare, a former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, made the clarification on Monday while speaking as a guest on ‘Politics Today’, a current affairs programme on Channels Television.

He was reacting to a protest by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend formal recognition of the party’s factional leaderships following a court order.

INEC had suspended recognition of ADC factional leaderships, including the one led by Senator David Mark, citing a Court of Appeal ruling and ongoing internal disputes within the party.

The ADC, however, described the move as a plot to exclude it from the 2027 elections and staged a protest against the decision.

But, Dare dismissed the allegation, maintaining that no political party was being prevented from operating.

“There are 20 political parties in Nigeria today. No one is stopping them from functioning.

“The All Progressives Congress will not close shop because other political parties are enmeshed in one crisis or the other,” he said.

He accused the ADC and other opposition parties of resorting to sentiment rather than building strong political structures capable of challenging the ruling party.

Dare also rejected claims that the APC-led Federal Government was shrinking the political space, stressing that opposition parties operate freely across the country.

“The Federal Government will always protect the rights of the people to carry out their activities,” he said.

He added that the ability of ADC members to protest freely and continued media criticism of the President were clear indicators of democratic freedom.

“Journalists work freely and criticise the President on a daily basis without interference.

“Is it the duty of the President to organise the opposition?” he queried.

Dare further emphasised that building a viable political party requires time, sacrifice and commitment.

“Building a strong political party is a tedious process. We all know how difficult it was to build the APC.

“The APC is not the architect of ADC’s crisis; it is self-inflicted. Instead of strengthening their party, their leaders are looking for shortcuts.

“If you cannot make the necessary sacrifices, you should not blame others for the outcome,” he stated.