2027: Fanala predicts single-candidate presidential election

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has warned that Nigeria could end up having only one presidential candidate in the 2027 election.

Falana blamed the development on alleged interference by the judiciary in political party affairs, noting that conflicting court judgments are destabilising the system.

He made this known while speaking at the fifth Comrade Yinka Odumakin Memorial Lecture held in Ikeja.

“Through the manipulation of Nigerian courts and senior lawyers, you may have only one candidate contesting the presidential election in this country. If that happens, Nigeria may not even need to spend money on a presidential election.”

The event had in attendance the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero; activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore; and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olumide Fusika.

Delivering the memorial lecture, Falana asserted that court orders and conflicting judgments were being used to destabilise political parties and could lead to a situation where only one political party would present a presidential candidate in the 2027 election.

He spoke against the backdrop of Wednesday’s pronouncement of the Independent National Electoral Commission that it would no longer recognise the factions of the African Democratic Congress led by David Mark or Rafiu Bala.

The INEC based its decision on a Court of Appeal judgment, which directed the commission to maintain the status quo pending the determination of a suit challenging the legality of David Mark’s leadership of the opposition party.

Falana criticised the judiciary for interfering in the internal affairs of political parties despite provisions of the Electoral Act prohibiting such interference, warning that such actions could have serious implications for Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.