Ahead of the 2027 general election, Nigeria’s political landscape is abuzz

with activities, the most recent of which was the disclosure by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, that it has received a staggering 110 applications for the registration of new political parties.

Many years ago, some individuals were motivated to register parties due to the fact that they would get some funding from the electoral umpire. But even though the commission no longer directly gives funds to political parties, the level of interest in registering new parties is said to have been motivated by the desire by some persons to ensure that the President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress-led administration does not retain power in 2027.

Specifically, an official of the APC said this unprecedented surge is widely interpreted as a concerted effort by various political forces, both established and emerging, to create new platforms and alliances with the ultimate goal of challenging and potentially dislodging the incumbent from power. “This wave of party registration bids is a direct consequence of a deep-seated desire among opposition elements and even some within the ruling party’s fringes, to present a formidable front against our party, the All Progressives Congress APC and our leader. But we are not sleeping either. We understand all their moves even before they make them”, he said, preferring not to be identified.

Indeed, the sheer number of applications suggests a fragmented but determined opposition, each seeking a viable vehicle to contest the next presidential election.

While the exact motivations behind each of the 110 applications vary, a common thread appears to be the perceived disarray within the existing major opposition parties, such as the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the Labour Party LP.

Opposition figures using proxies

Saturday Vanguard gathered that some political heavyweights were behind some of the registration bids, using proxies, including law firms. A source at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said, “We do not know the main sponsors or promoters of these political associations seeking registration as political parties. However, experience has shown that most of the time, some of them are sponsored by the high and mighty because when eventually they get registered or they are denied registration, you would see the big men coming out to speak on the issue. They come out to vie for positions in those parties or they come out to castigate INEC for not registering the associations as parties”.

According to him, some of those behind the associations intend to use them as Special Purpose Vehicles, SPVs, to meet either a political or economic end.

“People register parties to make them a fall-back option for some big-time politicians who might be leaving their current political parties as a result of implosions or disagreements ahead of 2027. We are all in this country and we have seen situations whereby a heavyweight goes into an otherwise dormant political party, negotiates his way to the top and plants his men as leaders of such parties, effectively taking over their reins”, he added.

Findings also revealed that some of the promoters of the registration bids are actually dissatisfied with the status quo and even though they might not make substantial difference politically, they hope to act as some sort of “political pressure group”, making regular interventions on national issues.

Curiously, some of the letters of intent submitted to INEC showed that the registration bids were hurriedly done without sufficient homework. For instance, the All Democratic Alliance ADA, being promoted by Chief Akin Ricketts addressed its letter to the “Independent National Commission INC”, instead of the “Independent National Electoral Commission INEC).

Ricketts’ ADA, which is touted as one of the special-purpose vehicles that the anti-Tinubu coalition is seeking to use as a platform in the 2027 general election, shares the same acronym with the Advanced Democratic Alliance ADA. While the Ricketts’ ADA is 109 on the INEC list, the other ADA, the Advanced Democratic Alliance, is 110, the last one on the list unveiled by the electoral umpire. This second ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman as Protem Chairman and Zipporah Pius Miracles as Secretary.

The Ricketts’ ADA has its national headquarters at Ground Floor, UAC Complex, Plot 273 Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, CBD, Abuja, FCT, while Suleiman’s ADA has its national headquarters at 1 Frandriance Close, Off Oda Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja. Civil society leaders like Ezenwa Nwagu, Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advisory Centre in Africa, have openly questioned the seriousness of many of these bids, labelling them as “jokers,” adding that the sheer volume of intent underscores the intense political manoeuvring ahead of 2027.

The formation of new alliances and potential mergers of these new entities, should they be successfully registered, could significantly alter the dynamics of the next election. Some political observers point to the recent formation of groups like the “All-Democratic Alliance,” featuring prominent figures like Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, as an example of ongoing efforts to consolidate opposition forces, albeit dismissed by some within the ruling party as “pedestrian jokes.”

As INEC begins the rigorous process of scrutinising these 110 letters of intent, the coming months are expected to witness heightened political negotiations, horse-trading and strategic alignments. The outcome of these registration bids could undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the field of contenders and the overall trajectory of the 2027 presidential election. (Saturday Vanguard)