Nigeria’s political temperature rose on Wednesday as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of acting out of fear ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, stated that recent political manoeuvres by the ruling party indicate anxiety about facing voters in a transparent contest.
He argued that despite the APC’s dominance across several states, it remains unsettled about the prospect of what he described as a genuinely competitive electoral process.
“Power without confidence in the ballot is a fragile thing,” Abdullahi said.
“When a party controls most state structures yet appears uneasy about open competition, Nigerians must begin to ask serious questions.”
Moreover, he warned that certain legislative and political steps could weaken democratic safeguards if left unchecked.
According to him, citizens must remain vigilant as preparations intensify for the 2027 polls.
His comments followed heated deliberations in the House of Representatives over proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.
Lawmakers have been reviewing provisions that would shape the conduct of future elections, particularly the mode of transmitting results.
At the centre of the dispute was a clause providing for both real-time electronic transmission and manual collation of election results.
The proposal triggered intense arguments among members, prompting the chamber to suspend open proceedings and move into a closed-door session in a bid to ease tensions and seek consensus.
However, proceedings turned turbulent again when lawmakers resumed plenary and insisted on a clause-by-clause review of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025.
During the debate, Rep. Bamidele Salam pushed for the removal of manual transmission, contending that retaining it could erode public trust and stall technological progress in Nigeria’s electoral system.
The motion, seconded by Rep. Kingsley Chinda, was ultimately rejected after a voice vote favoured retaining the provision.
Consequently, both electronic and manual transmission methods remain in the draft amendment.
Abdullahi, reacting to the development, maintained that Nigerians must resist any perceived attempt to dilute electoral integrity.
“Democracy survives when citizens refuse to be intimidated,” he said.
“The closer we move to 2027, the more important it becomes to defend the credibility of the ballot.”
Political analysts say the controversy signals that the road to 2027 may be defined as much by legislative battles as by campaign rhetoric.
Furthermore, the debate over transmission methods underscores lingering concerns about transparency, technology adoption, and institutional trust in Nigeria’s electoral framework.
