By Law Ibitoye
The recent primary elections conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Senatorial, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly positions across several states of the federation have once again exposed the deep cracks within Nigeria’s democratic structure. What ought to have been a transparent internal democratic exercise became, in many places, a theatre of manipulation, imposition, intimidation, and political exclusion.
Reports from Ekiti, Ondo, Plateau, Lagos, Osun, Kwara, Katsina, Rivers, Kogi and several other states revealed widespread allegations of fabricated results, candidate imposition, voter intimidation, irregular accreditation, and deliberate skewing of the process in favour of preferred aspirants. For many Nigerians, the APC primaries did not reflect the wishes of party members but rather the decisions of a few powerful individuals who have turned political parties into private estates.
The growing culture of “anointed candidates” has reduced grassroots participation to a mere ceremonial exercise. Aspirants who spent enormous resources mobilising supporters and engaging party members were suddenly disqualified, excluded from voting venues, or rigged out through suspiciously manufactured results.
One of the most controversial cases emerged from the Ekiti North Senatorial District, where former lawmaker Senator Ayo Arise, incumbent Senator Cyril Fasuyi, Engineer Bamisaye, and Oluwadare Owolabi contested in the primary election. Across the district, many residents believed Senator Ayo Arise enjoyed overwhelming support, judging by the massive turnout of party members and supporters who queued openly behind him in recognition of his perceived performance during his tenure in the Senate between 2007 and 2011, as well as his consistent engagement with constituents over the years.
However, on May 18, 2026, allegations surfaced that officials assigned to conduct and monitor the exercise compromised the process in favour of Senator Cyril Fasuyi, whose critics argued had not maintained sufficient visibility or impactful representation within the district for over three years. The confusion, controversies, and allegations of manipulation surrounding the exercise eventually compelled the national leadership of the APC to announce that only results authenticated from Abuja would be recognised, while directing the public to disregard results announced at various state levels.
The implications of such developments are dangerous for democracy. A political party is expected to serve as a training ground for democratic values. When internal party processes become fraudulent, the general election itself becomes compromised long before the first ballot is cast. Democracy does not only die during flawed national elections; it also dies during manipulated party primaries where citizens are denied the right to choose credible representatives.
Across many constituencies, allegations emerged that voting materials arrived late, proper accreditation was ignored, electorates perceived to oppose government-backed candidates were intimidated, and results were allegedly written in locations where no elections were conducted. In some areas, winners were reportedly announced despite the absence of any credible voting exercise. Such practices destroy public trust in institutions and discourage competent young Nigerians from participating in politics.
The leadership of the APC, both at the national and state levels, must accept responsibility for this growing crisis. A party that claims to champion progress cannot continue to undermine democratic ethics through impunity and political arrogance. The obsession with loyalty over competence, patronage over popularity, and imposition over participation has weakened public confidence in governance itself. Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to one political party. Nigerian politics has gradually evolved into a system where Godfather, money politics, and elite bargaining dominate electoral outcomes. What Nigerians witnessed during the APC primaries is merely a reflection of a wider political culture where democratic principles are sacrificed on the altar of political survival.
The consequences for Nigeria are severe. First, manipulated primaries produce unpopular candidates who lack legitimacy among the people. Such candidates often emerge not because of competence, vision, or public acceptance, but because they enjoy the backing of powerful political interests. This ultimately leads to poor governance, weak representation, and lack of accountability. Second, electoral manipulation fuels voter apathy. Many Nigerians, especially progressive youths and politically conscious citizens, increasingly believe their votes no longer matter because outcomes appear predetermined. This growing cynicism weakens democratic participation and threatens national stability.
Furthermore, flawed primaries deepen internal party crises. Aggrieved aspirants frequently resort to litigation, defections, and anti-party activities, thereby weakening political institutions and creating instability ahead of general elections.
The continued erosion of democratic standards also damages Nigeria’s international image. As Africa’s largest democracy, Nigeria ought to be setting examples for democratic accountability across the continent. Instead, recurring electoral controversies continue to portray the country as a nation struggling with political maturity.
The way forward requires courage, sincerity, institutional reforms, and a complete rejection of political tokenism. Political parties must return to genuine internal democracy. Primary elections should be transparent, independently monitored, and digitally documented to reduce manipulation. Party membership registers must be publicly verified before elections, while party officials with vested interests should not be allowed to conduct or supervise primary exercises. In addition, results from each ward should be uploaded in real time to prevent fabrication and result alteration.
The role of money in politics must also be addressed. Excessive nomination fees and inducement of delegates and party members have commercialised political participation, turning elections into investments for the wealthy rather than opportunities for public service. Electoral reforms must criminalise vote-buying and enforce strict financial transparency within political parties.
Furthermore, party executives must stop acting as agents of political godfathers. Their responsibility is to guarantee fairness, not impose outcomes. Internal disciplinary mechanisms should be strengthened to sanction party officials found guilty of manipulating primaries.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must also be empowered to play a stronger supervisory role over party primaries. Political parties cannot continue to operate without accountability while expecting Nigerians to trust the credibility of general elections.
Civil society organisations, the media, and the judiciary equally have important responsibilities. Journalists must continue exposing irregularities without fear or intimidation, while the courts must deliver timely judgments against electoral fraud in order to discourage impunity.
Opposition parties must also learn from the failures of the APC and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Nigerians are watching closely. Any opposition party that embraces manipulation, imposition, and anti-democratic conduct loses the moral right to criticise the ruling party. Genuine political alternatives can only emerge through fairness, transparency, and respect for the will of party members.
Nigeria’s democracy is too important to be surrendered to political merchants and power brokers. The future of the country depends on building institutions where leadership emerges through credibility, popularity, competence, and the genuine choice of the people. If Nigeria must become a democratic model for Africa, then political parties must first learn to practise real democracy within themselves. Free, fair, and transparent primaries are not optional; they are the foundation upon which every legitimate democracy stands.
Until political parties begin to respect the voices of their members, Nigeria’s democracy will remain vulnerable — not because citizens refuse to participate, but because the political system continues to betray their trust.
Law Ibitoye writes from Ilupeju Ekiti
