Falana, Gani Adams warn of possible single-candidate 2027 presidential election

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland Gani Adams have raised concerns that Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election could end up with only one candidate if disputes over party leadership and court rulings continue to shape internal party affairs.

Both spoke on Thursday at the fifth Comrade Yinka Odumakin Memorial Lecture held at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, where they warned that increasing judicial involvement in political party disputes could weaken electoral competition.

Falana said conflicting court decisions and repeated legal interventions in party matters were destabilising opposition structures. He argued that if the trend continues, the country could face a situation where only one political platform fields a presidential candidate.

He also linked his remarks to recent developments involving the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, which announced it would not recognise rival leadership claims within the African Democratic Congress after a Court of Appeal directive to maintain the status quo in an ongoing dispute involving party leadership claims.

According to him, continued reliance on court orders to settle political disagreements risks narrowing democratic choice. He added that such an outcome could undermine public confidence in elections and heighten political tension.

“We may end up with only one candidate,” Falana said, warning that such a scenario would weaken the purpose of electoral spending and participation.

He urged civil society organisations, labour groups and activists to strengthen coordination in defending democratic processes, noting that disorganised protests would not achieve meaningful reform.

Also speaking at the event, Adams said Nigeria was gradually drifting towards a system dominated by a single political force, alleging that legal processes were being used to weaken opposition groups. He compared the trend to restrictions experienced during military rule and early pro-democracy struggles.

He cautioned citizens against silence driven by ethnic or political alignment, stressing that political power shifts and silence today could become a disadvantage tomorrow.

In his remarks, Falana also delivered a lecture titled *“Can Nigeria’s Democracy Work without Restructuring?”* where he examined the structure of Nigeria’s federal system and argued that power has become increasingly centralised under the 1999 Constitution.

He noted that more legislative powers now rest with the federal government compared to earlier republics, limiting the autonomy of states. He added that although some powers have been reclaimed through court decisions—such as issues around local government administration, taxation, and land control—states have not fully utilised areas already devolved to them, including electricity generation and rail development.

He also cautioned that proposals for state-controlled policing could be abused by governors if safeguards are not strong, referencing historical misuse of regional security structures.

At the same event, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olumide Fusika described Nigeria’s security situation as increasingly fragile and called for collective action to address rising insecurity.

Human rights activist Richard Akinola criticised what he called close ties between political actors and the judiciary, while labour leader Joe Ajaero of the Nigeria Labour Congress backed calls for restructuring, including devolution of powers and state policing.

Activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore said current political conditions were pushing the country toward major systemic change, arguing that growing public frustration could shape the next phase of national politics.

Other attendees included executive director of the International Press Centre Lanre Arogundade, activist Agba Jalingo, and Richard Akinola.

The lecture series was organised by the Oluyinka Odumakin Foundation and chaired by Dr Joe Odumakin in honour of the late activist Yinka Odumakin.