Obi, Falana and ADC Warn Over Electoral Integrity as Nigeria Edges Closer to 2027 Polls
Abuja — Concerns over the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general election have continued to mount, with prominent political and civil society figures, including presidential candidate Peter Obi, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), separately raising alarm over insecurity, electoral commission readiness, and the risk of manipulation ahead of next year’s vote.
Speaking at an NDC town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi warned that Nigerians would no longer tolerate attempts to undermine their votes in the coming election. Obi, who was joined by the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, insisted that the electorate’s choices must be counted and respected, declaring that citizens had grown weary of what he described as recurring electoral nonsense. He specifically flagged concerns that INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) could again become a target for manipulation during the election, though he expressed confidence that technological safeguards and grassroots vigilance would make such attempts considerably more difficult to pull off. He further urged his supporters to remain firm and resist any attempt at intimidation at polling units.
Separately, senior lawyer and rights activist Femi Falana used the keynote address at the 25th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture in Lagos, themed “Democracy at the Crossroads: Electoral Credibility, Judicial Integrity and the Future of Nigeria,” to warn that many Nigerians remain doubtful that the 2027 election will be free and fair. Falana urged citizens, particularly young people, to organise themselves and take direct responsibility for protecting their votes before, during, and after the polls, while also calling on churches to join the human rights community in strengthening democratic accountability. Fellow legal expert Ayo Obe, who also spoke at the event, cautioned that technology alone could not guarantee credible elections, stressing that it remains no substitute for genuine electoral integrity. At a separate lecture in Abuja honouring the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, Falana further warned that worsening insecurity, shrinking civic freedoms, and deepening poverty could jeopardise the credibility of the 2027 polls if urgent corrective measures are not taken.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has also repeatedly voiced concern over the electoral process, with the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, citing what he described as endemic weaknesses within INEC alongside alleged manoeuvring by the ruling APC-led government as factors that could threaten the credibility of the vote. The party has separately cautioned against public statements by senior politicians that create the impression of a predetermined outcome ahead of the election, while also calling on security agencies to investigate any reported threats or plans capable of inciting violence or intimidating voters.
The concerns raised by Obi, Falana, and the ADC add to a broader civil society push in recent months, including efforts by the Movement for Credible Elections, a coalition of activists and pro-democracy advocates who have engaged INEC and political stakeholders over fears of regulatory interference, shrinking political space, and the rising cost of nomination forms imposed by political parties.
As Nigeria’s political actors continue positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential poll, the recurring warnings from across the political and civil society spectrum reflect deepening anxiety over whether the country’s electoral institutions can deliver a process widely accepted as free, fair, and credible.
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