By IKE ABONYI

Regardless of who is in charge—whether it’s Prof. Mahmud Yakubu or Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN—the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been involved in the political turmoil within the opposition party. Their attempts to conceal their actions only serve to expose them further.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are fully aware that they cannot win an election fairly and transparently. Consequently, they have effectively co-opted the electoral body and the judiciary to suppress opposition movements.

Intelligence indicates that Tinubu is aware he did not legitimately win the 2023 election, and that Peter Obi of the Labour Party is a significant threat to his political standing. This sheds light on why measures are being taken to deprive Obi of a political platform.

INEC’s refusal to recognize Nenadi Usman’s leadership of the Labour Party has unveiled their ulterior motives. The commission’s sudden reference to a Supreme Court judgment from April—seven months after the ruling—demonstrates their willingness to dance to the ruling party’s tunes. Their primary objective is to hinder Peter Obi. Just one week after Obi departed from the party, INEC seemed to have “remembered” the Supreme Court ruling.

There is also credible intelligence that the Taminu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being held back at Tinubu and Nyesom Wike’s behest, and that they will soon be released, especially since Peter Obi is no longer available as a potential flag bearer. The agenda being pushed by INEC and the judiciary now appears to favor the ruling party, allowing both the PDP and LP to distance themselves from the implications as long as Obi is out of the picture. The leaders of the soon-to-be-released party may be compelled to endorse Tinubu or present an inconsequential candidate.

The situation involving INEC and the Labour Party has become one of the most intricate legal and political dramas in recent Nigerian history. The timeline of INEC’s jostling with recognition in Labour Party, especially in the light of Peter Obi’s departure, has sparked a significant debate about “double standards” and political timing. Here’s a concise overview of the facts as they stand in early 2026:

Throughout late 2024, INEC asserted that Julius Abure’s term as National Chairman had expired in June 2024. However, the legal situation shifted:

October 2024: A Federal High Court in Abuja, headed by Justice Emeka Nwite, declared the March 2024 Nnewi Convention (which re-elected Abure) to be valid and constitutional.

Following this court ruling, INEC formally engaged with the Abure-led leadership, essentially granting them “privileges” of recognized leadership under judicial compulsion.

However, after months of internal conflicts and attempts to reconcile the Abure faction with the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee, Peter Obi officially resigned from the Labour Party on December 31, 2025, and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

This timing raises questions about the narrative of INEC “dumping Abure” only after Obi’s exit. Interestingly, the Abure-led faction claims to have experienced “liberation,” even as INEC’s position continues to be dictated by a series of conflicting court judgments rather than a clear administrative decision.

Critics and political analysts have highlighted several factors that support claims of double standards:

INEC initially refused to recognise the Nnewi Convention but later complied with a High Court ruling. This contrasts with their usual practice of awaiting Supreme Court decisions in other party leadership disputes, such as those involving the PDP or APC.

Again INEC initially engaged with the caretaker committee headed by former Finance Minister Nenadi Usman (backed by Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti) before reverting to Abure after the court order. This led to accusations that the commission is reacting to political power shifts rather than adhering strictly to legal rulings.

Given all these factors, it is increasingly clear that INEC, under Prof. Joash Amupitan, is not prepared to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in 2027. Opposition politicians must come to terms with the unfortunate reality that manipulation of the electoral process for the 2027 elections has already begun and the main assignment of the two institutions is to stop Peter Obi at all cost.

•Ike Abonyi, a Political Editor at Large, writes from Abuja.

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