Samson Itodo, executive director of Yiaga Africa, has accused a section of Nigeria’s political class of deliberately creating confusion ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding the Senate’s conditional clause on electronic transmission of results, Itodo said some political actors are actively exploiting chaos to weaken institutions and tilt the process in their favour.
He made the assertion on Arise TV on Monday.
“If you read the handwriting on the wall,” he said, “it is clear that a section of the political class is leveraging this chaos.”
According to him, these actors are not merely undermining the elections. Rather, they are deliberately manufacturing confusion as a pathway to political power.
He clarified that not all politicians pursue this agenda. However, he maintained that a powerful segment thrives on instability and intentionally uses disorder as a political weapon.
Budget Delays, Reform Uncertainty Raise Red Flags
Furthermore, Itodo identified stalled electoral reforms and funding delays as concrete signs of systemic risk.
He criticised lawmakers for prolonging amendments to the Electoral Act for nearly two years without concluding the process.
“It makes no sense that for two years we’ve debated this reform and yet we’re at this point,” he said.
In addition, he questioned the delay in approving funds for the 2027 elections.
“The 2027 election budget has not been passed,” he stated. “The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) only defended the budget last week.”
He then asked directly: “So when will the budget be passed? When will the funds be released?”
Itodo stressed that INEC cannot conduct credible elections without timely and adequate funding. He reminded viewers that the commission did not receive full funding during the 2023 polls.
Consequently, he warned that funding delays and policy uncertainty overstretch oversight institutions, weaken accountability mechanisms and reduce their capacity to act firmly and independently.
‘If 2027 Fails, Don’t Blame Citizens’
Meanwhile, Itodo argued that persistent confusion discourages voters and weakens civic participation.
“Every single week, we wake up to one absurdity,” he said.
He explained that constant instability steadily erodes public trust in the electoral process.
As trust declines, turnout drops. As turnout drops, political actors find it easier to manipulate outcomes.
He accused certain members of the political class of deliberately overwhelming citizens with distractions in order to suppress scrutiny and reduce public engagement.
“If anything happens to the 2027 elections, no one should blame citizens. No one should blame the media. The blame should rest with the political class,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s current predicament stems from leaders who prioritise partisan interests over public interest.
He described the situation as avoidable. At the same time, he urged those in power to take responsibility and actively safeguard the integrity of the 2027 election.
