‘Tinubu Doesn’t Need Manipulation to Win’ — APC Counters ADC Over INEC 2027 Timetable

The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has rejected claims that the new 2027 election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission was designed to favour President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The party said the schedule is lawful, balanced, and fair to all political parties.

In a statement issued in Akure on Sunday, the APC spokesperson in the state, Steve Otaloro, described the revised timetable as a product of careful planning and institutional responsibility.

He said the arrangement gives political parties enough time to prepare and meet legal requirements.

The reaction followed criticism from the opposition African Democratic Congress, which accused INEC of bias and alleged that the timetable was crafted to support Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

The ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that new deadlines and compliance rules would make it difficult for opposition parties to field candidates.

INEC had earlier fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections were scheduled for March 6, 2027.

Those dates drew objections from Muslim groups because they fell within the Ramadan period.

Following the concerns, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act, reducing the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.

This allowed INEC to shift the election dates.

The electoral body later released a fresh timetable, moving the presidential and National Assembly polls to January 16, 2027, and governorship and state assembly elections to February 6, 2027.

One major point of disagreement is INEC’s directive that political parties must submit digital membership registers by April 2, 2026.

The ADC said the requirement would shut out smaller and opposition parties from effective participation.

The APC, however, welcomed the policy and said it would improve internal party operations.

“The requirement for digital membership registers is a progressive reform. It enhances transparency, strengthens institutional discipline, and deepens internal democracy within political parties. By reducing disputes associated with manipulated registers, it ultimately reinforces the credibility of party primaries.”

The party added that credible political organisations should already have updated membership records and structured primary processes.

It said the timeline was announced early enough for parties to comply without difficulty.

“Properly structured political organizations should not encounter difficulty maintaining updated membership databases or conducting orderly primaries. These are foundational responsibilities of any credible political party. The APC welcomes reforms that promote electoral integrity and accountability.”

Responding to claims that the timetable favours the ruling party, the APC dismissed the allegation as speculative and unsupported by facts.

It stressed that INEC operates under constitutional authority and does not act on partisan interests.

“INEC operates within clearly defined constitutional parameters. Its scheduling decisions are administrative and legal determinations-not partisan instruments. Politicizing procedural timelines only undermines public confidence in democratic institutions.”

The APC also insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not need any form of manipulation to secure re-election.

It said the administration’s performance would determine the outcome of the 2027 polls.

The party pointed to reforms in the financial system, the energy sector, and infrastructure development as evidence that the government is stabilising the economy and improving governance.

It highlighted ongoing macroeconomic restructuring, revenue optimisation, and adjustments in the power sector as signs of long-term planning.

“Elections are determined by performance credibility, not conspiracy narratives. If Nigerians are to consolidate and permanently benefit from the gains of these reforms, policy continuity is essential. A second term will guarantee stability, deepen structural corrections, and allow reform cycles to mature fully.”

The APC urged political parties to respect the independence of Independent National Electoral Commission, obey electoral rules, and focus on presenting policies to Nigerians instead of spreading accusations.

It expressed confidence that a transparent electoral process combined with governance performance would favour the ruling party in Ondo State and across the country in 2027.