Nigeria’s political stage is once again abuzz with shifting alliances, electoral preparations, and high-stakes positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a week marked by strategic moves, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar dramatically exited the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the third time, signaling deep rifts within the opposition and a potential reshuffling of political coalitions. Hot on his heels, journalist and former presidential aspirant Dele Momodu also dumped the PDP, citing the dominance of “anti-democratic forces,” and pledged allegiance to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a bid to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ramped up preparations for the polls with the announcement of a new voter registration drive starting in August and refresher training for party officials on its candidate nomination portal. In Lagos, reactions to the recent local government elections were sharply divided—while some political actors praised LASIEC for a peaceful process, several opposition parties rejected the results outright, alleging massive fraud and voter suppression.
Across the country, institutions and civil society groups are laying groundwork for more credible elections. INEC opened early dialogue with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Osun State to ensure smooth logistics ahead of the 2026 governorship election, while the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) hosted a town hall in Kaduna to rally stakeholders around electoral reform and transparency. Amid this flurry of political realignments and institutional activity, the nation paused to mourn the loss of one of its most consequential leaders, former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London at the age of 82 following a long illness. His death marks the end of an era and adds a reflective tone to a political season already charged with ambition and uncertainty.
