John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, has warned that if Nigerians come to believe the All Progressives Congress (APC) will certainly win the 2027 election, many voters may simply stay home — and that could hollow out the next government’s legitimacy.
He made the point on Frontline, a current affairs show on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Monday. The Cardinal said the sense of a foregone conclusion would discourage people from voting, and tied this worry to a wider trend: falling turnout in recent elections as citizens grow sceptical that their votes matter.
Tribune reported that Onaiyekan argued that Nigeria has never held a truly free and fair election, and said this failure has fueled the disillusionment driving people away from the polls. He contrasted elected governments with military rule, saying elected leaders must draw authority from citizens and stay accountable through regular, credible elections.
Using the United Kingdom as an example, he said peaceful transfers of power between parties build strong institutions and help development. He also said how security agencies behave during elections shapes public trust.
Onaiyekan renewed his call for sweeping electoral reform before 2027, focusing on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He argued the current process for picking INEC’s leadership “raises legitimate questions about impartiality” and must be overhauled so the body can be truly independent. For him, credible elections and good governance are inseparable.
