By Divine Sam
Nigeria’s opposition alliance, the Coalition for Democracy, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an independent forensic audit of the national voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising concerns over alleged irregularities and the shrinking political space.
The coalition accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of creating an uneven electoral environment that favours the ruling party at the expense of opposition parties.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Salihu Moh. Lukman on behalf of the coalition parties, the group demanded that INEC provide all registered political parties with electronic copies of the preliminary voters’ register and subsequently make available the certified version.
It also called for an independent forensic audit of the register to be completed before December 15, with the findings published state by state and officials found culpable of electoral irregularities prosecuted.
The coalition, which was formerly known as the G100 Coalition, announced its adoption of the new name following a decision by its Central Leadership Committee (CLC) at a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
It said the new name reflected the shared commitment of its member parties to defending constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the protection of Nigerians’ fundamental political rights.
The alliance was formed after the first Opposition Summit held in Abuja on August 31, 2026.
The coalition expressed concern over what it described as a systematic attempt to restrict Nigeria’s democratic space, alleging that opposition supporters had faced attacks, intimidation and other forms of obstruction in different parts of the country.
According to the statement, opposition supporters had been attacked in Kaduna, ambushed in Ibadan and attacked in Sokoto and Cross River states within the preceding 90 days.
It further alleged that hotels booked for opposition delegates had cancelled their reservations, campaign offices had been sealed, and opposition billboards had been removed in Edo State while those belonging to the ruling party remained untouched.
The group also claimed that opposition parties seeking outdoor advertising spaces in the Federal Capital Territory were reportedly being charged as much as N750 million.
The coalition warned that the alleged developments raised serious questions about the ability of political parties to compete freely ahead of the elections.
“The APC is not just trying to win the election. It is trying to decide the conditions under which everybody else must contest it. This is what happens when a ruling party begins to confuse its control of government with ownership of democracy. You cannot be a contestant and insist on writing the rules for your opponents,” the statement said.
On the voters’ register, the coalition expressed concern over what it described as INEC’s failure to meet the statutory deadline under Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.
It also cited the alleged discovery of AI-generated photographs in the register, reportedly inserted by some of the commission’s registration officers, as well as the removal of more than 1.27 million records.
The group questioned why no officials had been publicly identified or prosecuted over the alleged irregularities and why political parties had not been provided with copies of the register for independent scrutiny.
“The credibility of an election begins long before the first ballot is cast. If INEC cannot account for the names on its register, how can Nigerians trust it to account for the votes in its custody? A compromised register today is a compromised election tomorrow. Nigerians deserve answers, not excuses,” it stated.
Beyond the audit demand, the coalition called on the Inspector-General of Police to guarantee equal protection for all lawful political activities in line with Section 83 of the Police Act 2020.
It also urged the police chief to make public the outcomes of investigations into attacks on opposition supporters in Oyo, Kaduna and Sokoto states.
The group further called on state governments to end what it described as discriminatory restrictions on campaign venues, political offices and advertising spaces, insisting that all political parties should operate under equal and transparent conditions.
“We are not asking for privileges. We are demanding the protection of rights that already belong to us under the Constitution. The law cannot be strict when the opposition is involved and suddenly become flexible when the ruling party is concerned. Democracy cannot survive where the law has two faces,” the coalition added.
It maintained that the concerns went beyond the interests of opposition parties, arguing that restrictions on political competition could undermine the ability of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders.
The coalition urged relevant institutions to address the issues before the elections, warning that an electoral process without genuine political competition could weaken public confidence in democracy.
Leave a Reply