Atiku: If You Elect Me in 2027, I Will End Election Rigging in Nigeria

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has outlined a series of electoral and economic reforms he says he would pursue if elected president in 2027.

Atiku made the commitments on Thursday in Abuja while speaking at the ADC national headquarters during an address marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.

He said improving the credibility of elections would be a priority under his proposed administration, with plans to strengthen the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and ensure that results from polling units are published promptly.

The former vice president also pledged to prosecute individuals involved in vote buying or the manipulation of election results, regardless of their political affiliation.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, Atiku urged Nigerians to take steps to protect their votes and resist intimidation. He also advised voters to examine the candidates and their programmes carefully, arguing that campaign promises should be backed by measurable plans.

“The coming election offers us a peaceful way to choose our course. This country is yours,” he said.

Turning to the economy, Atiku promised to pursue policies aimed at making food, petrol and electricity more affordable, while improving healthcare, education and transportation.

He also listed insecurity, unemployment and transparency in public spending among the issues his proposed administration would address.

On petrol, Atiku proposed a budgeted and capped subsidy for products refined locally, including petrol from modular refineries, while excluding imported fuel from the arrangement.

He said the proposed framework would help lower the pump price of petrol for consumers.

“We will publish the costs, independently audit the payments and cut government waste to help fund the programme,” he stated.

Atiku also raised concerns over the application of the law in some cases, citing the detention of Sheikh Sani Khalifa Zaria and Malam Nasir El-Rufai as examples he said raised questions about due process.

He further maintained that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s right to appeal his conviction should be respected.

The ADC presidential candidate called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from elected officials, particularly in relation to government budgets, project implementation and governance.

He said his proposed administration would prioritise economic relief, public safety, job creation and the protection of democratic institutions.

2027: INEC Urges Traditional Rulers to Mobilise Voters, Promote Peaceful Campaigns

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on traditional rulers across Nigeria to use their influence to encourage voter participation and promote peaceful, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, at the Iga Idunganran Palace in Lagos.

The visit formed part of INEC’s South-West Zonal Readiness Assessment and Staff Interactive Session, which marks the beginning of the Commission’s nationwide engagement across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said the South-West was selected to begin the exercise because of the strategic role played by Lagos and the region in Nigeria’s electoral and democratic processes.

According to him, the exercise is designed not only to assess the Commission’s operational preparedness but also to engage key stakeholders whose support can contribute to increased participation and peaceful elections.

The INEC Chairman formally informed the Oba of Lagos of the dates fixed for the 2027 General Election.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Amupitan said INEC was working towards delivering a technologically driven, transparent and inclusive election, with continued improvements to its electoral processes, including online voter registration and result management.

However, he stressed that technology alone would not be sufficient to guarantee a successful electoral process.

“Technology alone cannot build a democracy; people do,” the INEC Chairman said, stressing the importance of citizens taking ownership of the democratic process through active participation.

He urged traditional rulers to use their moral authority to mobilise eligible Nigerians to complete the required voter registration processes and collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the statutory deadlines.

Amupitan also appealed to the Oba of Lagos and the Lagos Traditional Council to support efforts to ensure that political campaigns ahead of the election remain focused on issues and policies.

He urged traditional rulers to discourage politicians and their supporters from engaging in character assassination, hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric and campaigns of calumny.

The INEC Chairman said political actors should concentrate on presenting their policies and programmes to voters rather than attacking opponents, warning that the preservation of peace in Lagos and across Nigeria should take priority over political ambitions.

He also said the Commission’s nationwide readiness assessment was intended to ensure that INEC personnel remain professional, neutral and impartial in carrying out their responsibilities.

According to him, INEC had already engaged Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers and Heads of Departments across the South-West, reminding them of the laws and regulations governing the conduct of elections.

Amupitan said the Commission remained committed to delivering a 2027 election capable of strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system and contributing to national unity.

Responding, the Oba of Lagos welcomed INEC’s decision to commence its zonal readiness assessment in Lagos and expressed optimism about the Commission’s leadership under Amupitan.

The monarch urged the INEC Chairman and National Commissioners to remain honest, firm and committed to their responsibilities.

Akiolu also called on politicians to move away from short-term patronage and focus instead on genuine capacity building and policies that improve the lives of citizens.

The monarch similarly backed the call for issue-based campaigns, urging political actors to avoid hate speech and inflammatory statements during the election season.

He called on traditional rulers to continue guiding their communities and encouraging eligible citizens to exercise their democratic rights.

Akiolu also appealed to the Federal Government to provide adequate and timely funding for the 2027 elections, stressing that INEC should receive the resources required to effectively carry out its constitutional responsibilities.

The meeting with the Oba of Lagos preceded INEC’s wider engagements across the South-West as the electoral body intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.

INEC to Conduct Nationwide Mock Accreditation Exercise in November 2026

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while receiving the Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission to Nigeria, David Sproule, and other officials during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters.

Amupitan said the exercise would provide an opportunity to test the commission’s electoral technology and other equipment ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to him, the mock accreditation will subject the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral equipment to a rigorous field test across the country.

He said the exercise was designed to help INEC identify and resolve potential operational challenges before the general elections.

The INEC chairman stressed that the commission was determined to build on lessons learnt from recent off-cycle elections and improve its preparedness for the 2027 electoral cycle.

The nationwide exercise is expected to give INEC an opportunity to assess the functionality of its accreditation systems under conditions similar to those that will be experienced during the actual elections.

The commission has continued to carry out preparations for the 2027 general elections as political parties and candidates begin their campaigns for the presidential, National Assembly and other elections.

INEC Says 81.5% of PVCs Collected Ahead of Osun Election

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.

According to the Commission, Osun State has 2,339,233 registered voters, with the collected PVCs representing 81.50 per cent of the total number of registered voters.

INEC said the remaining 432,843 PVCs, representing 18.50 per cent, have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in line with the Commission’s established practice.

The Commission also disclosed that some registered voters whose PVCs were damaged, defaced or lost applied for replacement.

A total of 6,101 people who applied for replacement printed downloadable copies of their PVCs, according to the electoral body.

INEC said a detailed table showing the number of PVCs collected at each polling unit across Osun State has been published on its website.

The Commission also reassured political parties, civil society organisations, the media and residents of Osun State that it is fully prepared for Saturday’s election.

INEC said it remains committed to conducting a free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive governorship election.

The statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, on August 13, 2026.

The Osun governorship election will hold on Saturday, August 15, with the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking re-election against candidates from several political parties.

Appeal Court Restores ADC, Four Other Parties Ahead of 2027 Elections

Nigeria’s political landscape received a significant boost on Tuesday after the Court of Appeal in Abuja overturned a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties, clearing the way for their participation in the 2027 general elections.

The appellate court, sitting in Abuja, unanimously ruled that the earlier judgment could not stand because the case that led to the deregistration order was not properly initiated before the court. The three-member panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, held that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter, rendering its decision legally invalid.

The ruling restores the legal status of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), allowing them to continue their political activities and field candidates in future elections.

The legal dispute began after a Federal High Court ruled that the affected parties should be removed from the register of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), citing constitutional provisions relating to the performance of political parties. The decision sparked widespread reactions within political circles, with the parties insisting that the judgment was flawed and immediately filing appeals.

In its decision, the Court of Appeal agreed with the appellants, holding that the suit upon which the deregistration order was based was incompetent from the outset. The court maintained that where a case is not properly brought before a court, any orders arising from such proceedings have no legal effect.

The judgment effectively nullifies every directive issued by the Federal High Court concerning the deregistration of the five parties and reaffirms their recognition under Nigeria’s electoral system.

The decision is expected to reshape preparations for the 2027 elections, particularly for the ADC, which has recently attracted several opposition politicians ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The ruling also reinforces the principle that political parties can only lose their legal status through procedures that strictly comply with the Constitution and other applicable electoral laws.

Political observers believe the judgment preserves multiparty democracy by ensuring that eligible political parties remain free to participate in Nigeria’s electoral process unless due legal procedures are followed.