ABUJA, NIGERIA — The road to the 2027 general elections has hit a major constitutional and logistical roadblock, as opposition parties accuse the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of setting “impossible” requirements designed to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on behalf of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi raised the alarm on Friday, February 27, 2026, over a new directive in the updated Electoral Act that mandates all parties to submit a fully digitised membership register across all 36 states within a 32-day window.
A Logistical Ambush
The ADC spokesperson described the timeline as a calculated attempt to disenfranchise the opposition. According to the new INEC timetable, parties must provide a digital database of their members nationwide while simultaneously giving notice of their congresses and conventions.
“It is almost practically impossible for us to do this,” Abdullahi stated. “What the law expects us to do is that within the next 32 days or so, we will have a digitalised membership register in all 36 states of the federation to submit to INEC. We know for a fact that the ruling party, APC, commenced membership registration since February 2025 and hired consultants for over a year to do this. What took them more than one year is what they expect us to do within one month.”
The APC “Supermajority” and Selective Reform
The outcry comes just as the APC cemented its dominance, following the defection of Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to the ruling party, bringing their tally to 30 out of 36 governors. Critics like Buba Galadima and Ralph Nwosu have long argued that the administration is “weaponising” institutions to ensure a one-party state.
While the National Assembly moves to amend the Constitution for State Police, opposition leaders argue that the real “restructuring” is happening within INEC to “lock the exits” for any rivals. The contrast is sharp: the Abuja “regency” managed a $9 million U.S. lobbying fund to polish its image, yet the same government oversees a system that expects opposition parties to achieve in 30 days what took the incumbency 12 months.
A Nation in Survival Mode
The political maneuvering in Abuja stands in stark contrast to the deteriorating conditions on the ground:
- Mass Starvation: 150 million Nigerians are currently unable to feed themselves, exacerbated by a $347 million aid shortfall.
- Security Collapse: Governor Bala Mohammed is pleading for help against 10,000 armed bandits in Bauchi, while worshippers are being massacred in Kebbi mosques.
- Legal Drama: Former AGF Abubakar Malami and his son are now remanded in Kuje prison after their bail was voided in a ₦8.7 billion money laundering case.
For Bolaji Abdullahi and the ADC, the INEC mandate is the final piece of a “selective justice” puzzle. “They are playing politics with the destiny of the nation,” he warned. As the 32-day clock ticks down, the fragmented opposition faces a choice: find a way to digitize millions of names overnight or face total exclusion from the 2027 ballot.
