There is no design whether covertly or overtly to have just the APC on the ballot – Sunday Dare

Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, has dismissed allegations that the ruling All Progressives Congress is working to dominate the 2027 general election ballot.

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Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Dare said there is no plan, either covert or overt, to limit participation to the APC. “There is no design whether covertly or overtly to have just the APC on the ballot. We have 21 parties registered to compete on the ballot; every party h as the right to field a candidate. Now the APC will not roll out the carpet and close shop because other parties are struggling,” he said.

His comments come in response to accusations by African Democratic Congress spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, who alleged that the APC is instigating internal crises within opposition parties to weaken competition ahead of the 2027 elections. Abdullahi had claimed that the ruling party was attempting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state and vowed that the ADC would resist such efforts.

However, Dare rejected the claims, arguing that Nigeria’s democratic space remains open. He pointed to the ability of opposition parties to freely engage the Independent National Electoral Commission, including staging protests, as evidence of political freedom.

The presidential aide also insisted that the APC and the president are not threatened by opposition activities, stressing that governance remains Tinubu’s priority while party affairs are handled separately.

He further described the internal challenges within the ADC as self-inflicted, criticising the party’s handling of its affairs. “What you are seeing here is self-inflicted. You decide to come in through the backdoor, you decide to ignore the fact that there are petitions and court cases.

“You decide to think that because you are in the opposition and you can shout very loud… what has happened to the ADC in the last several months is a locus classicus of how not to run an opposition, how not to hijack a political party, and how not to run a party,” Dare said.

He advised the opposition party to pursue its grievances through legal channels rather than blaming the ruling party.