2027: “Nobody Will Be Able To Rig The Elections” — NDI-ABAT

South-East APC Presidency: Forum Says Its Blueprint Could Help Address 12-Year Electoral Setback

The Ndigbo for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu 2027 Forum, NDI-ABAT, has declared that the 2027 presidential election must be won through genuine votes and credible mobilisation, insisting that nobody should expect to manipulate the will of Nigerian voters.

The Forum said the era of relying on intimidation, localised electoral control or manipulation of results must give way to an election where voters freely determine the outcome.

NDI-ABAT said its review of the 2015, 2019 and 2023 presidential elections shows that APC has struggled to establish a strong presidential foothold in the South-East because of weaknesses in grassroots organisation, voter engagement, political communication and coordination.

The group said APC must confront those election results before drawing up another strategy for the region.

According to the Forum, the problem should not be reduced to the attitude of the Igbo electorate. Rather, the party must examine its own approach to the region and determine why previous campaigns failed to produce stronger presidential support.

NDI-ABAT said the South-East should not be treated as an electoral territory that becomes politically important only during presidential campaigns.

It called for sustained engagement with communities, traditional institutions, young people, women, professionals, traders, business owners and grassroots political structures.

The Forum also questioned the level of commitment among some APC leaders in the South-East to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 campaign.

NDI-ABAT claimed that only a section of the party’s political leadership in the region has demonstrated the sustained grassroots activity and organisational commitment required for a presidential election.

The Forum said such claims should be judged by measurable political activity rather than public declarations.

The 2027 Blueprint

NDI-ABAT said it has developed a blueprint based on its assessment of APC’s performance in the South-East over the last three presidential elections.

The plan focuses on building stronger ward and polling-unit structures, sustained voter engagement, youth mobilisation, strategic communication, better coordination among APC stakeholders, community-level engagement and voter education.

The Forum said the blueprint is not a guarantee of electoral victory, but a proposed response to weaknesses it believes have affected APC’s performance in the region.

It warned that waiting until the final months of the election before building political structures would amount to repeating the mistakes of previous election cycles.

NDI-ABAT said early organisation, direct engagement with voters and disciplined political communication would be necessary if APC intends to improve its performance in the South-East.

The Forum also said it is prepared to submit its assessment of the 2015, 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, together with the proposed blueprint, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or Seyi Tinubu through the appropriate channel.

It said the purpose is to ensure that its findings reach the relevant political leadership early enough to be considered ahead of the 2027 election.

NDI-ABAT further insisted that the 2027 election must ultimately belong to the voters.

The Forum said allegations of electoral manipulation should not replace evidence, while political parties and electoral authorities must operate within the law and respect the choices of Nigerians.

According to Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, National Coordinator of NDI-ABAT, and Dr. Ugwuokwu Ugwuoke Jr., Secretary-General, the South-East challenge requires APC to learn from the results of the past three presidential elections and build a more serious political structure ahead of 2027.

Their position is that APC should seek votes through organisation, engagement and persuasion, rather than attempting to influence electoral outcomes outside the will of the voters.