- ADC Presidential Primary Turns Messy As Amaechi Rejects Result, Hayatudeen Pulls Out Of Announcement
- PDP Crisis Deepens As Makinde’s Faction Backs Jonathan, Wike Camp Unveils Sandy Onor As Consensus Candidate
- Another Court Affirms INEC’s Power To Fix Election Timetable, Others
Nigeria’s opposition landscape is fast descending into chaos ahead of the 2027 general elections, with internal wrangling, bitter factional wars, defections, legal battles and leadership tussles threatening to cripple parties expected to challenge the ruling government.
What should have been a season of coalition-building and strategic mobilisation has instead become an arena of confusion and open hostility, as key opposition figures engage in fierce power struggles over control of party structures and presidential ambitions.
The presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) descended into chaos on Tuesday after former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, rejected the outcome of the exercise, while fellow aspirant, Mohammed Hayatudeen, dramatically pulled out of the venue before the official announcement of results began.
Amaechi, in a strongly worded statement issued after the primaries, described the results being announced by the party as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of fairness, transparency and credibility earlier promised by the ADC leadership.
“I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi declared, amid mounting controversy surrounding the conduct of the primaries across several states.
The former Rivers State governor said he had made it clear before the exercise that he would only accept the outcome if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I had initially stated that I will only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that nearly 80 percent of party members across the country were denied the opportunity to vote, questioning the credibility of the exercise and warning that the ADC risked becoming no different from the political parties it had consistently criticised.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results. Then what makes us different from the others?” he queried.
The former minister accused the party leadership of betraying the founding ideals of the ADC, which he said was established to offer Nigerians a credible alternative capable of rescuing the country from bad governance and political impunity.
“The whole idea of the ADC was to give the Nigerian people a platform, to amplify the voices of the downtrodden, and make Nigeria a better place for everyone irrespective of backgrounds, ethnicity, or religion,” Amaechi stated.
He further alleged that the same electoral misconducts often condemned by opposition parties were allegedly repeated during the ADC primaries.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” he fumed.
Amaechi’s rejection of the exercise is expected to heighten tensions within the opposition party and may trigger legal and political battles over the legitimacy of the presidential primary outcome.
Similarly, Hayatu-Deen, declared that he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival factions of the opposition party moved in different directions ahead of the 2027 presidential election, deepening the battle for control of the party’s future.
While the faction aligned with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, celebrated the Federal High Court judgment clearing former President, Goodluck Jonathan, to contest the presidency again, the camp loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, stunned party members by presenting Senator Sandy Onor as its consensus presidential candidate.
The parallel moves have heightened fears of a full-blown implosion within the PDP just days before the party’s presidential primary.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday by the Makinde’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the judgment had finally cleared every legal obstacle standing in the way of Jonathan’s expected presidential bid.
The party maintained that the ruling was consistent with constitutional provisions, insisting that laws cannot be applied retroactively to deny any citizen the right to seek elective office.
“The judgment is clearly in alignment with the law and common sense, as laws cannot have a retroactive or retrospective effect,” the statement read.
The PDP also lashed out at the plaintiff who instituted the suit, describing the case as “vexatious” and “a gross abuse of court process.”
According to the opposition party, the legal challenge was designed to distract the former president and derail democratic processes ahead of the crucial 2027 elections.
“The suit, for all intents and purposes, was a very unnecessary distraction that ought not to have been instituted in the first instance,” the party stated.
The PDP further welcomed the punitive cost awarded against the plaintiff by the court, saying it would discourage “busybodies and irritants” allegedly being used by political interests to frustrate democracy.
In what appeared to be a major signal ahead of the party’s presidential primary scheduled for this weekend, the PDP disclosed that it had already granted Jonathan a screening waiver, effectively paving the way for his participation in the race.
“This development, coupled with the screening waiver that our party had granted President Goodluck Jonathan, has made the pathway for his presidential rescue mission totally unfettered,” the statement added.
The development is expected to further reshape the political landscape ahead of 2027, with Jonathan’s possible return already generating intense debate across party lines and within opposition circles.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s President between 2010 and 2015, has yet to formally declare his intention to contest the election, but mounting pressure from party stakeholders and loyalists has continued to fuel speculation about a dramatic political comeback.
While the Makinde camp is planning presidential primary for the weekend, Onor was announced as consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election by the Wike camp.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of the PDP Presidential Primaries Collation Committee and former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, during the collation and presentation of the party’s presidential primary results at the Wadata Plaza Abuja on Tuesday.
Members of the presidential primaries collation committee said the exercise followed consultations and voice votes conducted among party members across the states.
Senator Onor emerged as the sole presidential aspirant after declaring his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election and obtaining his expression of interest and nomination forms earlier this month.
Speaking during the exercise, Ortom said the committee had been engaging with party members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and had arrived at a consensus ahead of the announcement.
He later officially presented Senator Sandy Onor as the PDP’s consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abdullahi Zuru and Prof. Rhoda Habor Gumus, alongside other officials of the commission, monitored the exercise at the party’s national secretariat.
Following the announcement, the leadership of the PDP presented a certificate of return and the party’s flag to Senator Sandy Onor as the party’s presidential candidate.
Meanwhile, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja, has affirmed the power of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue timetable for elections and alter it as it deems fit.
Justice Omotosho also held that the 2027 election timetable issued by INEC was valid and legally issued, “stating timeframe within which political parties are to hold their primaries and stating timeframe for the submission of membership registers of political parties.”
Justice Omotosho made the declaration while delivering a judgement in a suit filed by the Social Democratic Party against INEC.
The SDP had, in the originating summons filed on April 9, posed five questions for determination.
One of the questions was “whether having regard to Sections 82 and 84(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant’s powers to receive notices, attend, observe and monitor party primaries extend to fixing or prescribing the timetable within which political parties must conduct their primaries.”
The plaintiff, therefore, sought seven reliefs, including an order of perpetual injunction restraining the electoral umpire from enforcing any timelines inconsistent with the Electoral Act, 2026.
It also prayed the court to declare that “the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or vary the 120 days statutory period in section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 by its timetable or press release dated 27th March, 2026.”
But INEC, in its defence, stated that its powers are not limited to receiving notices and attending primary elections, but to organise and supervise elections and issue timetables to ensure compliance with the Electoral Act.
It stated that the timetable so issued would not interfere with the internal affairs of the plaintiff (SDP) and that the primaries of the SDP are yet to start.
It further argued that its timetable released did not conflict with the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act and same did not bridge the timeline of the party.
INEC, which argued that the suit was premature and academic, urged the court to dismiss it.
Delivering Judgment, Justice Omotosho said that though the law is trite that a subsidiary legislation must not be at variance with the principal act, INEC is empowered to issue subsidiary legislation such as election timetable pursuant to Section 151 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
“The issuance of a timetable is to give effect to the Electoral Act especially with all its various timelines.
“The nature of the timetable ensures order and proper arrangement in the activities of political parties in the lead up to elections.
“Election timetable is a chain of events or actions stating from timeframe for the submission of membership register of political parties to be used for the purpose of the primaries and the election, timeframe for primaries and eventually gets to the real voting.
The judge held that Election timetable is not only the date for voting but preparatory steps – which are conditional to valid election and nominations must be included in election timetable.
“Election timetable without date for submission of parties’ membership register, timeframe for primaries, etc is inchoate.”
Justice Omotosho held that without the timetable, there would be chaos in our Electoral system.
“This court is therefore convinced that the defendant is empowered by the Electoral Act to issue timetables for elections, Justice Omotosho added.
“To further buttress this, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is the grundnorm of all laws in Nigeria alluded to this under Section 285(14) of the Constitution (as amended).”
The judge said on the issue of the timeframe for the substitution and withdrawal of ‘nominated candidates, it is provided for under Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
“A candidate may withdraw his candidature by notice in writing signed by him together with a sworn affidavit delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal and the sworn affidavit to the commission not later than 90 days to the election.”
According to the judge, from the above, political parties are by law allowed the liberty to submit the withdrawal and sworn affidavit to the defendant not later than 90 days to the election.
“The defendant in the revised timetable however stipulated the 22nd of August, 2026 and 19th September, 2026 as the date for candidates for Presidential and National Assembly elections and Governorship and House of Assembly.
“These dates are far larger than the 90 days allowed by the Electoral Act, 2026.
“This means that the timetable has reduced the timeframe for parties to submit withdrawal to the defendant.
“The defendant therefore acted ultra vires its powers by reducing the time allowed by political parties to convey withdrawals and sworn affidavit to the deferidant contrary to the 90 days stipulated by the Electoral Act, 2026.
“In the final analysis, the defendant is empowered by law to issue timetable for elections but it must do so in compliance with the time frames in the Electoral Act 2026.
“Therefore, the claims of the plaintiff (SDP) succeeds in part,” the judge held.
Justice Omotosho, consequently, declared that the suit was not statute barred contrary to INEC’s submission as the March 27 press statement originated the action, having been filed on April 9.
He declared that the election timetable is a chain of events or actions which include submission of membership register of political parties to be used for the purpose of primaries and fix timeframes within which political parties are to organise their primary elections for the purpose of the stated 2027 election.
The judge declared that INEC is empowered by the 1999 constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2026 to issue timetable for elections and to even alter same as it deems fit.
Justice Omotosho, however, held that the timetable must comply strictly with the timeframes in the Electoral Act, 2026.
In His words: “This honourable court hereby declare that the defendant is also empowered to alter the timetable for the ultimate aim of giving effect to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Electoral Act.
“This honourable court hereby declared that the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or vary the 90 days period for substitution of candidates under Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
“This honourable court hereby declared that the defendant cannot abridge the time stipulated in Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 given to political parties to submit the names of their candidates at feast 120 days to the date of election.
“This honourable court hereby declared that the defendant is hereby ordered to amend the Election Timetable 2027 and Schedule of Activities in compliance with Sections 29 (1) & 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
” This honourable court hereby declared that the defendant requesting for membership register of political parties and giving timeframe within which to conduct primaries is not ultra vires the powers of the defendant.
“This honourable court hereby declared that the deadline of 29’th August, 2026 and 16th September, 2026 fixed for political parties to submit nomination forms for candidates for Presidential and National Assembly Elections, as well as Governorship and House of Assembly Elections, is void to the extent of its Inconsistences with the clear provisions of Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.”
