The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of losing its independence and acting in the interest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement on Tuesday titled “The Neutralization of the Electoral Referee,” the party argued that public confidence in the electoral body had declined significantly, alleging that the commission no longer functions as an impartial umpire.
PDP stated that the electoral commission had engaged in selective compliance with court orders and lacked transparency in its electronic transmission systems, creating the impression that it was working to preserve the ruling party’s hold on power.
“Rather than operating as an autonomous, transparent referee, the commission under Professor Joash Amupitan, increasingly behaves like an extension of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Selective obedience to court orders, rulings, and a persistent lack of transparency in electronic transmission systems have left the electorate with a chilling impression: the umpire is no longer serving the citizens, but rather doing the bidding of the ruling party to guarantee status quo preservation in 2027,” The party stated.
The opposition party also criticised what it described as growing executive influence over the judiciary, citing the recent commissioning of residential quarters and court complexes for judges by President Bola Tinubu.
While acknowledging that judicial officers deserve improved welfare, the PDP argued that publicising such projects as presidential initiatives risked creating the perception of political patronage.
The statement further alleged that recent judicial interventions had contributed to internal crises within opposition parties, weakening alternative political platforms ahead of the next general election.
The PDP cautioned that if both the judiciary and the electoral commission were perceived as lacking independence, the 2027 elections could lose credibility.
“If the judiciary remains an echo chamber of executive benevolence and INEC functions as a partisan tool, the 2027 elections will cease to be a democratic exercise. They will simply be a formal coronation of state capture,” the party said.
