Less than 24 hours to the commencement of the Bauchi State local government elections, major opposition political parties in the state have announced their decision to boycott the exercise, describing it as a “kangaroo election” conducted under conditions that do not guarantee free, fair and credible polls.

The decision was announced on Sunday by Dr. Ladan Salihu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and spokesperson for the opposition coalition, at a world press conference held at the Press Centre in Bauchi.

The coalition comprises the ADC, African Action Congress (AAC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). Salihu also said the coalition was expecting the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the initiative.

The opposition parties accused the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) of creating financial, administrative and legal barriers that made effective participation in the election practically impossible.
According to Salihu, the 2026 local government election was being conducted under guidelines allegedly based on the 2008 electoral law, which he said appeared to be inconsistent with the 2026 Electoral Act from which BASIEC derives its authority.

He said the opposition parties were particularly concerned about what they described as excessive nomination and administrative fees, a compressed electoral timetable, limited time for party primaries and inadequate opportunities for screening, appeals, substitutions and the resolution of internal disputes.

“The excessive fees imposed by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission, the cumbersome timetable and the evident absence of a level playing field have made meaningful participation financially unreasonable and impractical,” Salihu said.

He further criticised the requirement that nomination processes be handled exclusively at the BASIEC headquarters in Bauchi, arguing that it imposed additional transportation and administrative costs on political parties and their candidates.

The opposition spokesperson also alleged that the ruling party had an advantage because of its control of government machinery and public resources, while opposition parties depended largely on contributions from their members.

He said the coalition had therefore decided against wasting its members’ limited resources on an electoral process it considered fundamentally unfair. Salihu stressed, however, that the boycott should not be interpreted as the opposition abandoning democratic participation.

“Our decision not to participate under the present arrangement must not be mistaken for weakness or withdrawal from a democratic process,” he said.

“It is a principled and deliberate rejection of political manipulation, financial exclusion and an electoral process that does not guarantee free, fair and credible election.”

The coalition called on BASIEC to postpone the election and address the concerns raised by the opposition parties, saying they would reconsider their position if a genuine level playing field was established.

The parties also warned that failure by BASIEC to address the issues could compel them to take further legitimate action. The local government election is scheduled to be held across Bauchi State on August 17, 2026.