2027: “You Can’t Force One Candidate on Nigerians” — Kwankwaso Fires Warning at INEC
A former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against any move that could limit voters’ choices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He stressed that Nigerians must be allowed to freely decide who leads them without interference.
Kwankwaso made his position known in a statement shared on his verified X account, where he reacted to ongoing political developments and concerns about the conduct of future elections.
His comments come amid growing conversations around electoral fairness and the role of the electoral body.
He said, “Today, I joined leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other committed democrats at a world press conference to strongly condemn the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s brazen and unacceptable partisanship.”
Speaking further, the former presidential candidate aligned himself with other political stakeholders who raised concerns at the gathering. He insisted that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend largely on how transparent and neutral the electoral body remains in the build-up to the polls.
“I fully endorse the position of the gathering: In 2027, Nigerians must be allowed to freely choose their leaders from a diverse range of political parties,” he added.
Kwankwaso also warned against any attempt to narrow the political space or promote a single candidate at the expense of others. According to him, such a move would undermine the democratic process in a country widely regarded as Africa’s largest democracy.
“The electoral umpire has no right to impose a single candidacy on Africa’s largest and most vibrant democracy,” he said.
His remarks are coming at a time when political alignments and consultations are gradually taking shape ahead of the next year’s election.
