A prominent support group for Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has accused opposition leaders of attempting to “delegitimise” the nation’s electoral body ahead of the 2027 polls.

The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) issued a strongly worded statement on Friday, dismissing allegations made by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is biased in favour of the ruling party.

The row centres on a leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), an opposition party that has recently become a sanctuary for high-profile defectors. While opposition figures claim INEC is interfering in the party’s internal affairs to benefit the presidency, the TSF maintains the crisis is a “political hijack” by elite opportunists.

Institutional Trust Under Fire

The TSF warned that the “tired playbook” of attacking electoral institutions whenever political outcomes are unfavourable poses a risk to Nigeria’s democratic fabric.

Key Points from the TSF Statement:

• Judicial Process: The group insists that INEC’s current actions regarding the ADC are simply compliance with existing court directives.
• Governance Records: TSF challenged the “credibility” of the accusers, pointing to Mr Abubakar’s past association with eras of “electoral irregularities” and noting that Sokoto State saw high poverty levels during Mr. Tambuwal’s governorship.
• “Political Carpetbagging”: The forum accused wealthy elite politicians of displacing the grassroots founders of the ADC to use the party as a “disposable vehicle” for their 2027 ambitions.

Analysis: The Battle for the ‘Third Way’

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was once a minor player in Nigerian politics, but it has recently been transformed into a potent “third way” platform for veterans like Atiku Abubakar. This transformation has brought with it a bitter internal struggle between the party’s “old guard” and the “new arrivals.”

By framing the ADC’s crisis as an “internal power struggle” rather than INEC interference, the TSF is attempting to isolate the opposition leadership. For an international audience, this exchange highlights the fragile nature of political parties in Nigeria, which often function less as ideological institutions and more as “special purpose vehicles” for powerful individuals. As the 2027 election cycle begins to spin faster, the credibility of INEC will be the ultimate prize—or the ultimate victim—in this escalating war of words.

‘Rescuing Political Relevance’

The TSF statement, signed by Ahmad Sajoh, concluded that the outbursts from the opposition were not about “protecting democracy” but were instead a desperate attempt by “drowning” politicians to remain relevant.

“It is unjust and undemocratic for wealthy political actors, after failing in their previous platforms, to move in and appropriate the structure,” the group said, referring to the recent influx of defectors from the main opposition PDP.

The forum has called on all parties to respect the rule of law and allow the courts to resolve the leadership dispute without further “inflammatory rhetoric.”