2026

Former Liberian President George Weah has warned that democracy cannot be sustained by elections alone, stressing the need for strong institutions, an independent judiciary and an active legal profession. Weah made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He cautioned African leaders against using electoral victories as a licence to weaken democratic institutions, noting that elections were only the entry point into democracy. The former president urged Nigerian lawyers to defend judicial independence and ensure that courts remained accessible to citizens seeking justice without political interference. Weah also recalled conceding defeat in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election, saying he prioritised the peace and stability of his country over personal ambition. Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who also spoke at the conference, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to judicial independence and improved access to justice in the state.

Campaigns for the 2027 general elections have officially begun, with concerns mounting that political contests could be overshadowed by hate speech, ethnic and religious profiling, misinformation, personal attacks and violence. The presidential and National Assembly campaigns began on August 19, 2026, and are scheduled to run until January 15, 2027, a day before the elections. Governorship and State House of Assembly campaigns are expected to begin on September 9 and end on February 5, 2027. The concerns have intensified following the signing of the National Peace Accord by some presidential candidates, who pledged to pursue peaceful and issue-based campaigns. President Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi are widely regarded as major contenders in the presidential race, although Tinubu and Atiku were absent from the Peace Accord signing, while Obi attended. Political analysts, civil society organisations, lawyers and other stakeholders have urged parties and candidates to focus on issues such as the economy, insecurity, unemployment, education and healthcare instead of personal attacks and identity-based politics. They also expressed concern over the growing use of social media to spread misinformation, manipulated videos, inflammatory statements and hate speech, warning that such content could heighten tensions and encourage violence. Stakeholders further called on political parties, security agencies, regulators and the media to ensure that campaign activities complied with electoral laws and the Peace Accord. They urged Nigerians to demand clear policy proposals from candidates and reject attempts to exploit ethnic, religious or regional divisions for political gain, stressing that the 2027 elections should be a contest of ideas rather than identities or violence.

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy, saying the economic hardship faced by Nigerians should not be regarded as evidence that the policy succeeded. Atiku, through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, accused the Tinubu administration of triggering increases in fuel prices, transportation and production costs, while the naira depreciated and food prices rose. He defended his proposal for a new subsidy model, saying it would be targeted, capped, time-bound and independently audited, with a focus on supporting domestic production. Atiku also accused the government of celebrating increased allocations while many Nigerians continued to struggle with the rising cost of living.

Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, explained that he could not serve as Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 campaign because he was not a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Wike also said he did not want to risk losing Rivers State, as some previous campaign directors-general had lost their home states during presidential campaigns. He said his priority was to help deliver both the FCT and Rivers State for Tinubu rather than hold a campaign position. Wike added that his support for Tinubu was being coordinated through a cross-party “Rainbow Coalition” involving politicians working for the President’s re-election while remaining members of their respective parties.

Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, has alleged that former Senate President Bukola Saraki was supporting President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, despite leading the PDP in Kwara State. Mustapha, who recently defected from the APC to the PDP, said Saraki was backing the “Rainbow Coalition” working to improve Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in 2027. He explained that his defection was part of a wider move by political groups in Kwara to challenge what they described as the emerging political dynasty of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Mustapha also said the group chose the PDP as its platform after disagreements over the APC’s governorship nomination process, particularly the emergence of House of Assembly Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu as the party’s candidate. He insisted that the move to the PDP was not aimed at opposing President Tinubu, but at challenging the political structure in Kwara State.

President Bola Tinubu has constituted the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections, with former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, appointed as Director-General and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as Secretary. The council, announced by the State House on Saturday, will be chaired by President Tinubu, while Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda will serve as Vice Chairmen. Other key appointments include Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, who were named Deputy Directors-General for the southern and northern blocs. Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole will oversee mobilisation, while James Abiodun Faleke was appointed Deputy Director-General for Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring. The campaign structure also includes media and legal directorates, with Information Minister Mohammed Idris, former presidential spokesman Dele Alake and Bayo Onanuga among those handling strategic communications. President Tinubu charged members of the council to work towards securing victory for the APC in the January 2027 presidential election, urging them to make his administration’s achievements the centrepiece of the campaign.

Lawyers, activists and other stakeholders have urged Nigerians to emulate the vigilance displayed by Osun voters during last Saturday’s governorship election ahead of the 2027 general elections. The call followed reports of residents monitoring the movement of election materials and gathering at collation centres to ensure that their votes were properly counted. Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke was later declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The stakeholders said the Osun experience showed that citizens needed to remain involved in the electoral process beyond casting their ballots. They encouraged voters to observe counting, document results and follow the collation process through lawful and peaceful means. However, some commentators warned against citizens putting themselves at risk in the name of protecting their votes. They stressed that INEC, security agencies and other institutions had the responsibility to safeguard election materials and ensure credible results.