Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy and former presidential candidate, has accused President Bola Tinubu's administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to use the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to block opposition parties from participating in the 2027 general elections. Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Utomi, who is a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claimed the ruling party is deliberately attempting to exclude major opposition figures from the ballot. "Everybody who is a trend watcher can see that there is a deliberate attempt by the ruling party (and) by those in power to exclude significant political opponents," he said. His remarks came a day before INEC withdrew recognition from the David Mark-led ADC national executive following a court order linked to a suit by Nafiu Bala, a former vice-national chairperson.
Utomi criticised INEC's swift validation of the Nyesom Wike-aligned faction's leadership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling it evidence that the electoral body is under APC control. He argued the APC fears a free vote due to public dissatisfaction over economic hardship. "The one thing the APC doesn't want to see is the vote of the people," he said. He also condemned the Senate's February decision to remove mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units, vowing legal action. "Even if the courts are manipulated as they may be, we are in two courts, the court of the people and the courts of law," he said. Utomi claimed executive interference under Tinubu now exceeds that during Sani Abacha's military rule. "We have reached a moment where conditions presently... are worse than they were under Abacha," he said.
Temitope Ajayi, President Tinubu's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, dismissed the allegations on Thursday. He said Tinubu has no intention of weaponising INEC or the judiciary and questioned Utomi's motives, noting his past affiliation with the APC. "Is it President Tinubu who created the problem in their parties?" Ajayi asked.
Pat Utomi's claim that INEC validated the Wike-led PDP leadership too quickly suggests the electoral body is moving in political lockstep with the ruling party. If INEC continues to make time-sensitive decisions that favour one side, public trust in the 2027 process will erode further. This isn't just about bias—it's about whether Nigeria's institutions can survive the next election without breaking.
