A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using the Electoral Act to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Galadima alleged that key provisions in the law were deliberately crafted to frustrate rival political parties and consolidate the ruling party’s hold on power.
Speaking on Saturday at the NDC aspirants’ summit in Abuja, the elder statesman said the current administration had undermined democratic principles in the country.
He claimed the APC secretly prepared the framework of the electoral legislation before it was formally transmitted to the National Assembly.
According to him, the speed with which the bill was passed and signed into law showed that the process had been predetermined.
“By the time the National Assembly deliberated and finalised on the draft electoral bill, within an hour, the president was signing the bill.”
“Did he study that bill? So, it means they have already prepared a bill before him,” he said.
Galadima particularly criticised provisions dealing with the emergence of candidates by political parties.
He said the law narrowed the options available to parties to either consensus arrangements or direct primaries.
He argued that the situation was intentionally designed to create confusion within opposition ranks.
“What were the contents of that bill? One of them which concerns this summit is that you can only generate candidates through two ways. That is, through consensus or through direct primaries.
“Now, in the opinion of the APC and its government, they thought that the opposition would not be in a position to sit down and reach a consensus”, he stated.
He warned opposition parties against adopting direct primaries, insisting the process could easily be manipulated and destabilised.
“And if they can’t come to a consensus, the only option open to them is to go and do direct primaries.
“I want to say, without fear of being contradicted, that no political party in the opposition can do direct primaries and come out completely clean,” he said.
Galadima cautioned members of the NDC against internal divisions, warning that the party could end up without candidates if it embraces direct primaries ahead of the next elections.
“The party cannot afford to do primaries because they will send people to disrupt everything and we end up without a candidate,” he said.
He urged party stakeholders and aspirants to embrace consensus and rally behind candidates chosen by party leaders and elders.
According to him, unity within the opposition remains critical to challenging the APC in 2027.
“As I speak to you now, NDC is the strongest political platform that can successfully challenge the APC and root it out of government,” Galadima added.
He called on party loyalists to remain committed to collective decisions in order to strengthen the opposition’s chances at the polls.
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