Baba-Ahmed Defends Move Against NDC, Says Jonathan Ineligible for 2027

A former political adviser and opposition figure, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has defended his decision to challenge the registration of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), insisting that his opposition to the party has nothing to do with personal disagreements with prominent politicians such as Peter Obi or Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Speaking amid growing controversy over his planned court action against the party, Baba-Ahmed said the issue was rooted in constitutional principle and the need to protect democratic legitimacy in Nigeria.

According to him, the NDC registration failed to comply with mandatory requirements laid down by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the registration of political parties.

“This is entirely about constitutional principle. I have no personal quarrel with Peter Obi or Rabiu Kwankwaso,” he said.

He alleged that the party neither submitted a formal application nor paid the mandatory administrative fee required for registration, adding that it did not participate in INEC’s official registration process.

Baba-Ahmed claimed the party secured recognition through what he described as “judicial manipulation” and accused INEC of surrendering its regulatory authority by refusing to challenge the court judgment that ordered the party’s registration.

He explained that political associations seeking registration are required to complete INEC’s Form EC15A online after paying a mandatory N2 million administrative fee to obtain access to the commission’s registration portal.

According to him, applicants are expected to upload party constitutions, manifestoes, executive members’ details, affidavits and other documents for verification before approval can be granted.

“But in the case of the NDC, it did not pay the N2 million mandatory administrative fee, it did not collect the access code, therefore it did not fill the Form EC15A and it did not upload anything at all as required by law,” he alleged.

Baba-Ahmed said he had obtained Certified True Copies of the court processes and judgment relating to the NDC registration controversy and claimed none of the fundamental registration documents were presented before the court.

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He argued that allowing such a process to stand would undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic system.

The former adviser also dismissed claims that his position was motivated by bitterness over the refusal of INEC to register his own political platform, ADA.

He maintained that ADA complied with all constitutional and regulatory requirements while the NDC allegedly bypassed the established process.

On the 2027 presidential election, Baba-Ahmed said former President Goodluck Jonathan was constitutionally barred from contesting again.

He cited a Supreme Court judgment and a constitutional amendment signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari, which he said limits a vice president who completes the tenure of a deceased or removed president to only one additional elected term.

“A person who was sworn in as president to complete the term for which another person was elected as president shall not be elected to that office for more than a single term,” he quoted from the Constitution.

According to him, Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit after succeeding late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and subsequently winning the 2011 presidential election.

Baba-Ahmed also criticised INEC for what he called regulatory failure, accusing the commission of publishing names of NDC officials on its website without adequate legal basis.

He said the commission should immediately appeal the judgment that led to the party’s recognition and enforce its regulations without bias.

On zoning and power rotation, Baba-Ahmed said competence and constitutional integrity should matter more than regional considerations.

He stated that Nigerians should focus on whether candidates emerge through legitimate democratic processes rather than whether they come from the North or South.

“I will support whoever demonstrates radical integrity,” he said while refusing to endorse either President Bola Tinubu or any opposition candidate ahead of the next general election.

He warned Nigerians against blindly supporting politicians based on reputation alone, accusing some opposition figures of lending credibility to what he described as an illegitimate political structure.

Describing the NDC as “constitutionally inaccurate,” Baba-Ahmed argued that the party lacked what political philosopher Hannah Arendt called “public natality” — the legitimate democratic birth of a political institution through due process.

Despite his concerns about the state of the opposition and democratic institutions, Baba-Ahmed said he still believed in democracy but warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant in defending constitutional order.

He urged citizens to critically examine how political parties and candidates emerge, insisting that democratic legitimacy in Nigeria must never be sacrificed for political convenience.

Baba-Ahmed Defends Move Against NDC, Says Jonathan Ineligible for 2027

Obi-Kwankwaso party, NDC, zones presidency to South, adopts single-term power rotation

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria and adopted a single four-year term arrangement aimed at strengthening regional power rotation ahead of the next general election.

The landmark resolution was approved by delegates during the party’s National Convention following a motion moved by Afam Victor Ogene, the lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives.

Under the arrangement endorsed by the convention, the party’s presidential candidate for 2027 must emerge from the South and would serve only a single four-year term if elected.

The party also resolved that after the completion of the four-year tenure, its presidential ticket would automatically return to Northern Nigeria as part of a broader zoning and power-sharing understanding within the NDC.

The decision is widely seen as a major boost for former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and other southern aspirants interested in contesting the party’s presidential primaries.

Obi recently joined the NDC alongside former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, fueling growing speculation that both politicians could play prominent roles in the party’s 2027 presidential calculations.

With the zoning formula now settled, attention is expected to shift to the party’s primaries as southern contenders prepare to purchase nomination forms and intensify consultations ahead of the 2027 presidential race.

2027: Tinubu Aide Mocks NDC Over Missing Manifesto

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging that the party lacks a clear governance blueprint and coherent agenda for Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections. He described the NDC as “a camp for the politically displaced and desperate,” while questioning its preparedness to govern the country.

Onanuga also directed criticism at the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, insisting that the party has not demonstrated any distinct ideological direction or policy framework capable of guiding national governance.

He said his assessment was based on a review of the party’s public materials, including its official website, which he claimed did not contain any substantive policy document outlining its vision for Nigeria. According to him, repeated attempts to access the party’s manifesto online were unsuccessful.

Onanuga stated that when he tried to download the party’s manifesto, the website returned a “No document found” message, despite indications that such documents were available for public access. He said this raised concerns about the party’s readiness for serious political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.

He further noted that although the NDC has spoken about building an ideological alternative ahead of 2027, it has yet to publish a detailed manifesto since its reported registration earlier in the year. According to him, what is visible on the party’s platform are only broad policy statements presented as “pillars,” which he argued lack depth and substance.

The presidential aide also dismissed comparisons between the NDC and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying both parties appear to lack clearly defined policy identities that differentiate them from one another in the political space.

Onanuga’s comments come amid rising political activity and early alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, as opposition figures continue to explore new platforms and coalition arrangements.

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He linked the development to ongoing discussions involving prominent opposition politicians such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, who have been associated with wider realignment talks following their movement away from previous political platforms.

However, these political associations remain part of broader speculation within Nigeria’s evolving opposition landscape as parties restructure ahead of the next election cycle.

Onanuga maintained that any party seeking to challenge the ruling government must present a detailed and credible manifesto that addresses key national challenges such as insecurity, inflation, unemployment and economic development.

He stressed that governance requires structured planning rather than political slogans, insisting that opposition parties must clearly articulate how they intend to improve the country if elected.

Despite his criticism, Onanuga said he expects the NDC to eventually release a comprehensive policy document that Nigerians can assess ahead of the 2027 elections.

As of the time of filing this report, the NDC has not issued an official response to the allegations or clarified the status of its manifesto.

2027: Tinubu Aide Mocks NDC Over Missing Manifesto