2027: Buba Galadima Accuses APC Of Blocking Opposition Campaigns

Chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of creating obstacles for opposition politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Galadima made the allegation during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Tuesday, where he expressed concern over what he described as restrictions on the activities of opposition politicians across the country.

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The NDC chieftain claimed that opposition candidates were being attacked, obstructed and prevented from freely moving around the country to campaign and sell their political programmes to Nigerians.

According to him, such an environment raises questions about the state of democracy in Nigeria, arguing that democratic governance should guarantee political freedoms, including freedom of speech, movement and the right of political parties and candidates to campaign.

“There are blocks put in the path of the opposition. This APC and its government does not want any opposition person to campaign in any part of the country, as they are stoned wherever they go. They also want to make life impossible for those opposite them.

“So, why should we call it democracy? We can just as well call it fascism, or dictatorship, or monarchy. They can’t claim to be democrats and not imbibe the tenets of democracy, which is free choice, free speech, free movement, and that is in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Galadima said.

He further argued that political participation would be difficult if opposition parties and their candidates could not move freely or hold campaigns without fear of attacks or other forms of obstruction.

Galadima also raised concerns about the cost of political advertising ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly the amount he claimed some states were demanding for the erection of campaign billboards.

He cited Imo State as an example, alleging that opposition politicians were being asked to pay as much as N1 billion for a single billboard.

According to him, the cost of political advertising could create another challenge for opposition parties attempting to comply with campaign spending limits contained in Nigeria’s electoral laws.

“Do you know how much they are asking for one billboard in Abuja? In Imo, it is N1 billion. One billboard, not the whole state. Just to fix one billboard, you pay N1 billion,” he said.

The NDC chieftain questioned how political parties could remain within prescribed campaign spending limits if they were required to pay extremely high amounts for advertising infrastructure across the country.

“So, if you have to pay every state one billion, and you pay 37 states, which is 37 billion naira, including Abuja, did you run foul of the Act or not? So, why can’t somebody say anything?” he asked.

Galadima’s comments come as political parties and presidential aspirants intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the APC seeking to consolidate its position at the federal level while opposition parties work towards building a stronger challenge.

The NDC chieftain’s remarks are also likely to fuel the growing debate over the competitiveness of Nigeria’s electoral environment, campaign financing and the ability of opposition parties to operate freely ahead of the next general elections.

However, Galadima’s allegations concerning attacks on opposition politicians, restrictions on campaigning and the alleged N1 billion billboard charge in Imo State were presented during the television interview and were not independently established in the report.

The APC and the relevant state authorities were not quoted as responding to the specific allegations at the time of publication.

With the 2027 election approaching, issues surrounding political freedom, campaign finance, access to public spaces, security at political events and equal treatment of political parties are expected to remain major subjects of national debate.