A former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Armayau Abubakar, has said that Nigeria should have no opposition at this point in time.

He called on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and the rest of the opposition political leaders in the country to support the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration.

The Federal Character Commission Commissioner, who spoke in Abuja on Tuesday, said the opposition was disjointed, adding that the APC government had already gone far enough to be measured with the other political parties.

“My message to the opposition is that it is high time at this moment in time to join the winning party, the APC.

“Tinubu’s achievements are very glaring. What can the opposition say against Mr President? I believe there’s nothing. So it is up to them to join the moving trend, the canoe of Noah, so that we can together move and reach the promised land. 

“What I’m trying to tell you is that even the blind man knows that APC has taken over the country. We have almost all the governors together with us, members of the National Assembly all with us. 

“You know, we have members of the State Houses of Assembly. They are with us. These are people. These are major stakeholders, and these are parameters that will show you that APC is already blessed by the entire Nigerians, and therefore I don’t see any reason why Mr President will not come back for the second time. 

“Of course, what impact would the opposition make? It is very clear. Where are the parameters? Where would they start? We have already gone far, hundreds of miles away from them. APC is just like an ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and other oceans put together, and you are talking of River Benue for the opposition.”

Similarly, Dayo Fasola, a women advocate in the APC and National Women Leader of the Renewed Hope People Advocacy, maintained that there is no opposition to Tinubu.

She claimed the work and campaign on returning President Tinubu to office had been made very easy due to the lack of opposition in the country.

“Sincerely, I feel this game is not going to be fair because the opposition is more or less non-existent. They are not giving us a good run for the money. 

“They are not coordinated. The coordination is non-existent, and it’s a pity. But then, when God wants to complete your mission, He makes it easy. There’s zero opposition,” she stated.

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Popular Nigerian rapper and activist, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has said he has never publicly endorsed any politician or political party, explaining that he remains cautious about lending his support to political figures.

Speaking on the need for greater civic participation ahead of future elections, Falz said his advocacy has always centred on encouraging Nigerians to vote rather than campaigning for any candidate.

“Just a point of correction: I’ve never, in 2023 or at any point, openly supported any politician or political party. I’ve only actively encouraged people to go out to vote and get their intentions known,” he said.

The entertainer explained that his priority is to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy by promoting credible elections and higher voter participation.

“What I clamor for is a free and fair democratic process, that people let their intentions be known, and that people go out to vote. These, I think, are very important to strengthen our democracy in this country,” he said.

Falz added that he had deliberately avoided endorsing politicians because he believes the country’s political class has largely remained unchanged over the years.

“I’ve never actually stuck out my neck for any politician for obvious reasons. We’ve been going in cycles, and it just seems like almost the same crop of people we keep on reshuffling. At the end of the day, it’s tough to even sit anywhere and vouch for a Nigerian politician in 2026,” he said.

He, however, noted that he could reconsider his position if he found a candidate he believed in completely.

“If I see someone that I feel 100 per cent is the one, maybe I would. But as it stands, I’m just trying to be cautious. I’m trying not to outrightly stick out my neck for anyone,” he added.

Falz also dismissed the notion that votes do not count, arguing that politicians would not spend money buying votes if elections were inconsequential.

“If it didn’t matter, there wouldn’t be vote-buying if it didn’t matter,” he said, urging Nigerians, particularly young people, to reject voter apathy.

The rapper further advocated the live electronic transmission of election results, saying it would improve transparency and credibility. He questioned why the electoral system had yet to fully adopt real-time result transmission despite the huge sums budgeted for elections.

According to him, the key lesson from the 2023 elections is the need for a much higher voter turnout, insisting that “if there is an overwhelming majority, it would be incredibly difficult for them to cheat that.”

A politician standing trial for corruption can contest an election, be sworn in as governor, and have the criminal case against him suspended until he leaves office, a legal practitioner, Barrister Zurkallaini Sani Tsanyawa, has said.

The lawyer was reacting to the controversy surrounding the emergence of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kebbi State despite his ongoing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Malami is facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering before the Federal High Court in Abuja alongside his wife and son. The trio have all pleaded not guilty.

The Kebbi State chapter of the ADC has described the prosecution as politically motivated, insisting that the case will not affect Malami’s chances in the 2027 governorship election.

In a statement signed by the party’s State Chairman, Engr. Sufiyanu Bala, and Chairman of the ADC Elders Forum, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Sambawa, the party alleged that the prosecution was aimed at weakening the opposition ahead of the elections.

Malami is not the only politician seeking elective office while defending corruption allegations in court.

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is also facing separate EFCC trials over alleged ₦110.4 billion fraud and ₦80.2 billion money laundering. Despite the ongoing cases, he has secured the APC ticket to contest the Kogi Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections.

The two cases have renewed public debate over whether politicians facing criminal prosecution should be allowed to seek elective office.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, legal practitioner Tsanyawa said a criminal trial cannot continue against a serving governor because of the immunity granted under Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.

“Once he is sworn in as President, vice president, governor, or deputy governor, the trial is not terminated; it is merely put on hold until he leaves office,” Tsanyawa said.

According to him, the immunity only applies to the office holder, while the trial of any co-defendants can continue.

On the subject of the eligibility of the candidates themselves, Tsanyawa said the Constitution leaves little room for ambiguity.

“A candidate standing trial but not yet convicted is constitutionally qualified to contest and occupy the office of President, Vice President, Governor, or Deputy Governor,” he said.

He explained that Sections 131 and 177 of the Constitution, which set out the qualifications for the offices of President and Governor, do not list a pending criminal case as a ground for disqualification.

The only criminal-related disqualification, he said, is a conviction for an offence involving dishonesty or fraud within the period prescribed by the Constitution.

He also cited Section 36(5), which guarantees the presumption of innocence. “Because the candidate has not been convicted, he is presumed innocent. INEC and the courts cannot disqualify him solely on the basis of an ongoing trial,” he added.

While agreeing that the Constitution protects the rights of accused persons, Professor Murtala Muhammad, Vice President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, said the increasing number of politicians contesting elections while facing corruption charges exposes weaknesses in both the electoral and judicial systems.

According to him, Nigeria’s constitutional democracy must balance the presumption of innocence with the need to protect the integrity of public office.

He noted that many politically exposed persons take advantage of the slow pace of criminal trials to seek fresh mandates before their cases are concluded.

“Cases involving former governors, ministers, and legislators have remained in court for years, allowing some defendants to secure new political mandates before the law reaches its logical conclusion,” he said, adding that the trend weakens public confidence in both the judiciary and the electoral process.

Muhammad also warned that many Nigerians now see public office as a shield against prosecution.

According to him, election victories often give politically exposed persons greater influence, which can delay investigations, discourage witnesses, and prolong trials through endless interlocutory appeals.

“The result is a vicious cycle where public office is increasingly viewed not only as a platform for service but also as a strategic refuge from legal accountability,” he said.

He, however, argued that the answer is not to deny anyone their constitutional rights.

Instead, he called for reforms to ensure corruption cases involving politically exposed persons are concluded within a reasonable time before elections.

Among his recommendations are “constitutional and electoral reforms to fast-track such cases, the establishment of special anti-corruption courts with strict timelines, and measures to discourage unnecessary adjournments in high-profile corruption trials.”

Murtala further revealed that countries such as Brazil and Italy have shown that timely prosecution of politically exposed persons can strengthen public trust in democratic institutions without undermining the right to a fair hearing.