A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Farouk Aliyu, has dismissed allegations that the ruling party is working with the Independent National Electoral Commission to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Aliyu, who spoke during an interview on Arise Television’s morning programme on Thursday, said the APC had no involvement in the internal crises rocking opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress.
Hon. Aliyu’s comments comes amid accusations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that INEC was being used by the ruling party to weaken their party following INEC’s removal of David Mark leadership from the body’s portal citing court judgement on internal crisis.
Responding, Faruk said the party rejects any suggestion of collusion with the electoral body.
“We take exception to these kinds of allegations… APC has no hand in it, and we reject it. This country belongs to all of us,” he stated.
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Aliyu, however, called on INEC to clarify recent decisions concerning leadership disputes within political parties.
“INEC should quickly come up with an explanation… they owe it to Nigerians,” he said.
Faruk Blames Opposition for Internal Crises
The APC stalwart attributed the challenges facing opposition parties to poor internal management, insisting that many of the disputes were self-inflicted.
“ADC also has to be blamed… they did not take the issue seriously. Some of their members had raised concerns, but they were ignored,” he noted.
According to him, the lack of cohesion within opposition parties has contributed significantly to their current predicament.
“These opposition parties are simply not serious… when they lose out, they try to bring the whole house down and then blame APC,” Aliyu added.
‘We Support a Strong Opposition’
Despite his criticism, Aliyu said the APC supports the existence of a vibrant opposition, describing it as essential to democratic governance.
“We want viable opposition. We want them to come and oppose us, because this country does not belong to APC,” he said.
Nigerians Will Decide in 2027: Faruk
On the credibility of the 2027 elections, Aliyu expressed confidence that Nigerians would ultimately determine the outcome through the ballot.
“Nigerians are going to decide. If they don’t like what is happening, they should vote us out. That is democracy,” he said.
He also maintained that INEC operates independently and is not influenced by the presidency. “I can assure Nigerians there is no presidential hand in that at all,” he added.
Kwankwaso a Major Factor in Kano
Commenting on recent political realignments, including the defection of former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the ADC, Aliyu described the move as significant but largely regional in impact.
He acknowledged Kwankwaso’s influence, particularly in Kano State, noting that the former governor remains a formidable political figure.
However, Aliyu argued that Kwankwaso’s political strength may not extend uniformly across the country.
“Outside Kano, I don’t think there is anywhere he has that kind of absolute control… but he is a force to reckon with in the political calculation in this country,” he stated.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
