BY CHINYERE OBIORA – The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says with or without the opposition parties’ participation in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, Nigeria’s democracy will not be negatively impacted.
Speaking against the backdrop of ongoing political crisis and internal disputes rocking several opposition parties in the country, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as other smaller platforms struggling with leadership tensions and regulatory challenges ahead of future elections.
The APC chapter maintained that contrary to insinuations in certain quarters, heaven will not fail because some opposition parties fail to appear of the ballot come 2027, adding that democracy is anchored on laws and institutional processes, not emotions or political pressure.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, while responding to complaints by a faction of the ADC over alleged threats to its participation in the polls, the party said: “Democracy is governed by laws and institutional procedures, not by sentiment, entitlement, or alarmist propaganda”.
According to the ruling party, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) operates strictly within constitutional provisions and compliance with electoral guidelines is compulsory for all political parties.
The Party said parties that fail to meet stipulated requirements must accept the consequences of their actions, warning: “Compliance is not optional. Any political party that fails to meet stipulated requirements must bear the full consequences of its own actions”.
While citing its own experience during the 2019 general elections, when it was excluded from participating in elections in Zamfara and Rivers states due to legal and procedural issues, the APC said the precedent underscores that no political party is above the law and that electoral sanctions are not peculiar to any one party.
The party, which also accused the opposition of attempting to deflect responsibility, attributed the current situation to internal crises within the ADC, saying: “It is disingenuous for a faction-ridden opposition party to externalise blame and attempt to cast the ruling party as a scapegoat for what are clearly self-inflicted wounds”.
The statement further described the ADC’s internal challenges as a product of disorder and procedural recklessness, which it said had weakened the party’s credibility, noting that: “The electoral process is bigger than any single political party. Heaven will not fall if the ADC, or any other party fails to appear on the ballot as a result of its own non-compliance.”
Urging political actors to stop public accusations and instead focus on resolving internal disputes through established guidelines, the APC reaffirmed its commitment to credible elections and challenged all stakeholders to uphold democratic principles and strengthen public confidence in the nation’s electoral process.
