• Amaechi rejects ADC primary, alleges vote buying, disenfranchisement
• Hayatu-Deen shuns results declaration over manipulation claims
• Kachikwu insists his bloc is authentic ADC structure
• PDP faction adopts Sandy Onor as court okays Jonathan’s eligibility
• Dickson unveils digital primaries, says NDC gaining opposition ground
• Wike predicts Tinubu victory in FCT over infrastructure projects

Nigeria’s opposition parties are facing mounting internal turmoil ahead of 2027, as allegations of manipulated primaries, parallel leadership structures and rival presidential candidates heighten concerns over their cohesion, credibility and electoral readiness.

The crisis has engulfed both the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where key figures are contesting primary outcomes, claiming legitimacy over party structures and advancing separate presidential candidates ahead of the next election cycle.

Former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, rejected the outcome of the party’s presidential primaries yesterday, alleging widespread irregularities and voter disenfranchisement.

Amaechi, who spoke through his verified X handle, said he would not accept the results of the exercise, which he claimed failed to meet standards of fairness and transparency.

He accused both the ADC and the ruling All Progressives Congress of engaging in vote buying while alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission failed to act against electoral malpractices.

According to him, reports available to him indicated that many party members across the country were prevented from participating in the primaries.

“I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.

“I had initially stated that I would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word. I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party.”

The former governor further claimed that nearly 80 per cent of party members were unable to vote during the exercise.

“There’s no way that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he said.

Amaechi added that the ADC was established to provide Nigerians with an alternative political platform that can promote fairness and inclusion.

“A party that criticises 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 lead to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable,” he said.

SIMILARLY, former chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, was absent from the party’s presidential election results declaration held yesterday following allegations of widespread irregularities in the electoral process.

Hayatu-Deen had earlier announced on his official X account that he would not participate in the exercise, citing reports of alleged vote manipulation in several parts of the country and concerns arising from his personal observations during the voting process.

His absence came shortly after he raised concerns while casting his vote in his ward in Borno State, where he alleged that the election fell short of expected standards of transparency and credibility.

The presidential aspirant also claimed that he received communications suggesting that some delegates were pressured to withdraw in favour of unnamed candidates, adding that such reports undermined confidence in the integrity of the process.

He further alleged inconsistencies in the conduct of the election in some locations, including claims that consensus arrangements were announced before voting commenced in certain areas, while issues reportedly emerged during result collation elsewhere.

The African Democratic Congress had yet to issue an official response to the allegations at the time of filing this report.

The results declaration proceeded in his absence amid growing scrutiny of the party’s internal electoral process.

ALSO, Dumebi Kachikwu dismissed suggestions that his bloc constitutes a faction within the African Democratic Congress, insisting that his camp remains the legitimate party structure recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Kachikwu spoke yesterday during an appearance on “Political Platform”, a programme aired on African Independent Television, a day after his group dissolved the David Mark-led National Working Committee and adopted him as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Addressing the leadership dispute within the party, Kachikwu said the real faction was the bloc associated with David Mark, Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures.

“Well, I’m sorry to tell you this, but we’re not a faction. We are the ADC. The people whom you’ve mentioned, Atiku and co., are the people who are factions,” he said.

He stated that the convention organised by his camp reflected the authentic structure of the party, claiming that recognised state executives from across the country attended the gathering.

“If you watched our convention yesterday, you will see ADC faithful from all over Nigeria. All the state chairmen of the ADC, as recognised by INEC, were there yesterday,” he said.

Kachikwu also dismissed the growing public profile of the Mark-led bloc as media-driven, arguing that the perception of an alternative power centre within the ADC had been exaggerated over the past year.

“I think what has happened is that in the last one year, the media has built this myth about an ADC of David Mark and co., Atiku and co., Peter Obi and co., before they left,” he said.

“And I’ve always said, I mean, I said since last year, that ultimately, when all the dust is settled, we’ll see the real ADC.”

He further claimed that his group acted within the law, noting that a subsisting court order empowered them to conduct congresses and conventions on behalf of the party.

“Because it’s a subsisting court order that said that we are the only ones who have the right to conduct congresses and conventions. And it’s based on that that we did conduct our convention yesterday,” he said.

PDP faction adopts Sandy Onor as consensus presidential candidate for 2027
THIS came as a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Abdulrahman Mohammed announced former Cross River State governorship candidate, Sandy Onor, as its consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

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 in Abuja.

Members of the collation committee said the process followed consultations and voice votes conducted among party members across the states.

Onor emerged as the sole presidential aspirant after declaring his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election and purchasing his expression of interest and nomination forms earlier this month.

Speaking during the exercise, Ortom said the committee consulted party members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory before arriving at the consensus decision.

He subsequently presented Onor as the PDP faction’s consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Following the announcement, the party leadership, led by the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, presented a certificate of return and the party’s flag to Onor as its presidential candidate.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, including National Commissioners Abdullahi Zuru and Rhoda Habor Gumus, monitored the exercise at the party’s national secretariat.

Court affirms Jonathan’s eligibility for 2027 presidential election
ALSO, the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday held that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election.

The Kabiru Turaki-led PDP faction recently adopted Jonathan as its presidential candidate.

The trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu, made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Johnmary Jideobi, seeking the disqualification of Jonathan from participating in the presidential poll scheduled for next year.

Justice Lifu held that the originating summons filed by the plaintiff lacked merit and subsequently dismissed the suit.

Describing the action as an abuse of the court process and a waste of judicial time, the judge awarded a cost of N20 million against the plaintiff in favour of Jonathan, who was the first defendant in the suit.

The court also awarded N1 million costs against the plaintiff in favour of the Attorney General of the Federation, the third defendant in the matter.

Justice Lifu held that the plaintiff failed to establish any injury suffered or likely to be suffered should Jonathan contest the election.

“This attitude of the plaintiff is unacceptable and should be discouraged,” the judge said.

The court also dismissed a separate application by the plaintiff seeking the withdrawal of Justice Lifu from the matter, describing the request as frivolous.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission was listed as one of the defendants, the commission did not participate in the proceedings leading to the judgment.

At the adoption of final arguments on May 18, Jonathan’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the suit and award N50 million damages against the plaintiff.

Uche relied on earlier judgments involving Andy Solomon and Cyracus Njoku, which he argued had already resolved the constitutional issues surrounding Jonathan’s eligibility.

He argued that Section 137(3) of the Constitution, which bars anyone who has taken the presidential oath of office more than twice from contesting again, could not be applied retroactively to Jonathan because the constitutional amendment was introduced after the 2015 election.

The senior lawyer further contended that the suit amounted to an attempt to deploy litigation as a political tool to prevent a qualified citizen from exercising his constitutional rights.

Dickson unveils digital primary plans, says NDC emerging as strong opposition force
STILL on the opposition, the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Seriake Dickson, has declared that the party is rapidly emerging as one of Nigeria’s strongest opposition movements, unveiling plans to reform internal party politics through digital primaries, strategic consensus arrangements and a nationwide political structure.

Dickson spoke at a dinner organised for governorship and National Assembly aspirants of the party, where he said the NDC’s rapid growth within a few months had surprised critics who initially dismissed the party as politically insignificant.

According to him, the party had evolved into what he described as the “most cohesive opposition platform” in the country, driven by loyalty, sacrifice and a shared vision for national renewal.

The event featured the party’s presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, while Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was absent due to ongoing political consultations and party activities in Kano ahead of the primaries.

Dickson warned aspirants seeking party tickets against engaging in what he described as opportunistic and transactional politics, insisting that the NDC was being built as a lasting ideological institution capable of competing with established political movements globally.

He also disclosed that the party planned to phase out the traditional manual primary system in favour of a technology-driven electronic voting process for future internal elections.

According to him, preparations were underway to deploy digital systems aimed at reducing manipulation, strengthening transparency and restoring credibility to internal party elections.

Wike predicts Tinubu victory in FCT over infrastructure projects
MEANWHILE, Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, yesterday declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would secure victory in the FCT in the 2027 general election, citing what he described as unprecedented infrastructure development across Abuja and the satellite towns.

Wike spoke during the inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects across the territory ahead of activities marking the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration.

The minister inspected projects at Dakibiyu, Gaduwa, Kabusa, the Apo Mechanic Village relocation site and other locations, stating that the scale of development in the FCT had begun to shift political sentiment in favour of the ruling party.

According to him, residents were beginning to experience the impact of governance beyond the city centre, particularly in rural communities and satellite towns that had suffered years of neglect.

“What the people want is simple: they want to feel the impact of governance. Nigerians are interested in good governance, infrastructure, electricity and improved living conditions,” Wike said.

“With what I have seen, I believe the President will not only get the required percentage in the FCT, but will also win comfortably. What reason would people have not to vote for Mr President now?”

The minister added that the ruling All Progressives Congress had recorded gains during the last Area Council elections in locations previously regarded as difficult political territories.

He said the administration deliberately extended development projects to rural communities through roads, water schemes and other infrastructure, describing the interventions as “governance in action.”

Wike further stated that many of the projects inspected were nearing completion and would be commissioned as part of activities marking Tinubu’s third anniversary in office.