Agbakoba knocks opposition over lack of serious policy ahead of 2027
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has urged opposition politicians to shift the focus of 2027 politics to policy-driven engagement rather than allegations
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has urged opposition politicians to shift the focus of 2027 politics to policy-driven engagement rather than allegations and defections.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos yesterday, he said Nigerians must demand issue-based campaigns and avoid negative politics.
“I put a lot of blame on the opposition. They are more interested in issues of defection than engaging the people and convincing them on what they can do, just as Obama did in the U.S.
“The quality of politicking is low. We have yet to see issue-based discussions. Some politicians are just waiting for the elections to come so they can blame INEC or go to court.
“Every politician wants to win but they need to be organised. Most opposition politicians are not planning at all. It’s like in football when people who have not scored goals are blaming the referee,” he said.
On the Electoral Act, the senior advocate urged the National Assembly to mandate real-time electronic transmission of results.
“There is need to remove all ambiguities and close the legal loopholes exploited to undermine the people’s will. Democracy demands nothing less,” he said.
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He described the ongoing legislative process as an opportunity to resolve vote-counting issues ahead of 2027.
“Nigerians need a credible framework for transparency to restore confidence in the electoral process.
“Without the amendment, we risk perpetuating disputed elections, prolonged litigation and damaged democratic credibility that have plagued the nation for decades,” he said.
Agbakoba also renewed his call for an electoral offences commission, warning that impunity fuels fraud.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to decisively address electoral reforms to strengthen the credibility of the 2027 polls.
“The old manual system makes the process susceptible to manipulation. The onus is on the President to correct the inconsistencies,” he said.
