2027: No hope for ADC, NDC – Fayose

Isaac Fayose has delivered a damning verdict on Nigeria’s opposition ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring that the African Democratic Congress and Nigeria Democratic Congress have been pushed back to “square zero.”

Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, said the legal crises confronting both parties had severely damaged their preparations for the election.

He spoke on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday while expressing concerns about the growing influence of the courts in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“Take a look at what they are doing to the opposition: the African Democratic Congress and the Nigeria Democratic Congress. They have taken them to square zero,” Fayose said.

His comments followed major legal setbacks suffered by both opposition parties.

The Court of Appeal recently upheld a judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led ADC leadership. Premium Times

The NDC has also been battling for survival after a Federal High Court withdrew the legal recognition previously granted to the party, throwing the fate of its 2027 candidates into uncertainty. The Guardian

Fayose predicted that the 2027 presidential contest would eventually become another courtroom battle.

“We’re looking to 2027, but it will still end up in court. We will have a coronation,” he claimed.

He accused the judiciary of wielding excessive influence over the emergence of Nigerian presidents, arguing that repeated post-election litigation had weakened public confidence in the democratic process.

Fayose went further by claiming that Nigeria no longer had an effective electoral commission or functioning democracy.

“There is nothing like INEC or democracy in Nigeria. What we have now is government of the court, by the court and for the court,” he said.

He also alleged that the judiciary’s involvement in political disputes explained government housing projects for judges. However, he presented no evidence connecting those projects to electoral judgments.

Fayose maintained that Nigeria was increasingly being governed by civilian leaders who behaved like dictators, although they did not wear military uniforms.