Senate President Urges Focus on Strengthening Political Parties
As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged citizens to temper their expectations regarding political coalitions. Speaking at the House of Representatives Open Week in Abuja, Akpabio cautioned Nigerians against placing undue faith in coalition movements, warning that such alliances are “unrealistic” under the country’s current electoral and constitutional framework.
“Only Political Parties Can Contest Elections”
During his address, Akpabio emphasized that Nigeria’s constitution strictly recognizes only duly registered political parties as vehicles for contesting elections. “Our electoral laws do not accommodate coalitions of individuals or groups outside of established political parties,” he stated.
The Senate President noted that while the idea of coalition politics may appear appealing in theory—especially as a response to the dominance of major parties—it remains incompatible with Nigeria’s legal and institutional realities. He explained that many Nigerians mistakenly believe that independent candidates or alliances can spring up and contest effectively, but that belief often leads to confusion and false hope.
Reality Check for Political Movements
Akpabio’s comments come at a time when various political figures, civil society groups, and former office holders have started informal talks about forming “third-force” alliances to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, the Senate President warned that history has shown that such arrangements frequently collapse due to a lack of shared ideology, leadership structure, and institutional backing.
“Coalition politics sounds romantic in public discourse, but when it comes to structure, logistics, legal recognition, and funding, these alliances tend to fail before the first vote is cast,” Akpabio remarked.
Lessons from Previous Election Cycles
The Senate President referenced previous election cycles where supposed coalitions failed to make meaningful impact due to their inability to meet constitutional requirements or garner enough grassroots support. He urged political stakeholders to learn from these experiences and focus their efforts on reforming and strengthening political parties from within.
“The 2023 and 2019 elections have already demonstrated the weaknesses of coalitions that were built on personality cults or shared grievances rather than ideology or structure,” he added.
A Call for Internal Party Reforms
Akpabio called on Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the current political climate to actively participate in internal party reforms rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel through unworkable alliances. He stressed the importance of engaging at the grassroots level to push for accountability and transparency within established political platforms.
“If you want change, join a political party and fight for reform from within. It is the only constitutionally recognized path to power in Nigeria,” he advised.
Constitutional Limitations and the Role of INEC
Citing the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, Akpabio explained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) only recognizes registered political parties for the purposes of ballot access, campaign funding, and result collation. No provisions exist for independent candidates or coalitions of citizens who are not affiliated with a registered party.
He noted, “Unless there’s a constitutional amendment to that effect, political coalitions outside of established parties will remain symbolic gestures without real electoral power.”
