Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has criticised Nigeria’s political system, claiming that politicians accused of corruption often appear to be cleared of wrongdoing once they defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi made the remark during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, where he also argued that Nigeria’s political parties lack clear ideologies.

According to him, the country’s politics has become driven by personal interests rather than principles.

“For me, there is no political party in Nigeria Today that has an ideology. There is none. Otherwise, the ideology of the APC would be that if you are corrupt and you move to the APC, you are no longer corrupt,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor maintained that what Nigeria needs are competent and committed leaders with integrity and compassion, rather than politicians who change parties for personal gain.

He also accused the ruling party of weakening opposition parties, alleging that the crises affecting the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and previously the Labour Party (LP) were not accidental.

“The president said it, and it is happening. When opposition parties are having problems, that is his wish. Because of it, they are destroying the judiciary,” Obi alleged.

He said that, if elected president, he would protect opposition parties and ensure they operate freely without interference from the government or regulatory agencies.

Obi also dismissed claims that endorsements from state governors would guarantee President Bola Tinubu victory in the 2027 presidential election.

He argued that governors’ support does not always reflect the views of the people in their states.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a faction of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Rivers State, led by its national Chairman, Ibe Kachikwu has aligned with the Rainbow Coalition formed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Nyesom Wike.

In a viral video, the ADC Secretary in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, Samuel Chuku was heard saying that they were instructed by their national leader to back Wike’s coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party leaders, at an engagement meeting in Isiokpo, the headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area, said they will work with the Rainbow Coalition for the coming elections.

The faction insisted that they remained the authentic leaders of the ADC in the council and would continue to align with the coalition pending the resolution of the leadership dispute by the Supreme Court.

They urged loyalists of the former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi to stop parading themselves as executive members of the party.

Samuel said, “Our leader, Ibe Kachikwu has directed ADC in Rivers to align with coalition led by Nyesom Wike. We are aware that some persons are parading themselves as ADC leaders in Ikwere local government.

“We are here to tell those people that they are intruders. They want to reap from where they did not sow.

“ADC leadership has directed that we should align with the coalition headed by Wike pending when the Supreme Court will decide who should be the authentic national”.

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Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Osun State, has disclosed that 192,702 Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, representing 37.5 per cent of those distributed so far, had been collected by eligible voters across the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Oluwatoyin Babalola, who gave the assurance on Sunday during the Osun Citizens’ Town Hall Meeting held in Osogbo, assured voters that every valid vote will count in the August 15 governorship election, while reaffirming the commission’s commitment to delivering a peaceful, credible and transparent electoral process.

Babalola said the commission was still expecting sensitive election materials for the poll, adding that adequate preparations had been made to ensure smooth conduct of the election.

She also revealed that INEC had deployed multiple voter education channels to encourage citizens to participate actively in the electoral process, saying, “we have deployed various platforms to educate voters on the importance of exercising their civic responsibility. Every vote will count and we encourage all eligible voters to come out on election day.”

The REC disclosed that INEC had identified flashpoints across parts of the state, including areas prone to thuggery, communal violence and cult-related activities.

According to her, “the information had already been shared with security agencies to enable proactive deployment and effective security arrangements.”

She said the commission had maintained close collaboration with security agencies, expressing confidence that the election would be peaceful and secure adding that sufficient ad hoc staff had been recruited and that training would commence shortly.

She also announced that a mock accreditation exercise would be conducted on August 1 in four local government areas, one from each senatorial district, to test the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System ahead of the election.

Addressing questions on the reported factionalisation within transport unions in the state, the REC said no faction had been introduced to the commission.

“I am speaking with the representative of the national body. Whatever issues they have are their internal affairs. They have deployed their Director of Organisation to the state and we are dealing with him,” she stated.

A member of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, JONAPWD, Osun State Chapter, Sunday Smith, urged INEC to accord assistive materials for persons with disabilities the same level of priority as sensitive election materials and appealed to the commission to ensure its ad hoc staff received adequate training on supporting voters living with disabilities.

Representing the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, assured participants that security agencies had developed new strategies to guarantee peace before, during and after the election.

He disclosed that no arrest had been made over the recent developments in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

Also speaking, the Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Afuye Kikelomo, representing the State Commandant, Igbalawole Sotiyo, warned that anyone involved in electoral malpractice would face the full weight of the law.

The Akire of Ikire-Ile, Oba Azeez Olatunbosun, described the town hall meeting as a timely initiative that would strengthen citizens’ participation and promote inclusive elections.

He rejected the notion that politics was inherently dirty, saying governance remained a noble calling but had been tainted by violence, intolerance, thuggery and other unethical practices by some politicians.

The monarch described the August 15 governorship election as “an important opportunity for Osun State.

“I appeal to political actors to embrace peace, fairness, tolerance and respect for the rule of law throughout the electoral process. Elections will come and go, but the consequences remain.

“Let us place the peace of Osun State above political interests.”

The Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa, Oba Moses Oluwafemi Agunsoye, also disclosed that traditional rulers in Ijesaland had taken steps to minimise violence, adding that their collective prayer was for peace to prevail throughout the electioneering period.

Also speaking, both the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Osun State, Rev. John Adeleke and Grand Imam of Osogbo, Sheikh Musa Muhammad Robiu Animashaun, urged political stakeholders and voters to maintain peace, stressing that every citizen had the constitutional right to vote freely and without intimidation.

They discouraged religious activities capable of distracting voters during the poll and encouraged educated citizens to participate actively.

They similarly called on all eligible voters to come out with their PVCs, urging them to vote according to their conscience and reject vote buying.