The presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Ambassador Aliyu Bin Abbas, has raised the alarm over alleged moves to replace him as the party’s candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abbas, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Friday, said any attempt to substitute his name without his consent and outside established legal and party procedures would undermine democratic principles.

SEE ALSO: Fresh ADC Twist: Faction Rejects Atiku Camp, Picks Chris Uba for 2027 Presidency

He said he had received information about alleged political pressure concerning the party’s presidential candidacy, although he did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the claim.

According to him, any decision affecting the party’s presidential candidate must comply with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, the constitution and regulations of the ADP, as well as applicable procedures of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“Any attempt to secretly substitute, withdraw, replace or otherwise compromise my candidacy without my express consent and without strict adherence to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, the constitution and regulations of the ADP, and applicable INEC procedures would constitute a grave assault on democratic principles and the rights of our members and supporters,” he said.

Abbas said he emerged as the ADP presidential candidate through the party’s recognised processes, stressing that any subsequent decision concerning the ticket should be handled transparently and in accordance with the law.

“My mandate is not a personal possession of any individual, neither is it a political bargaining chip to be traded behind closed doors,” he said.

The ADP candidate urged the party’s National Chairman, Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani, the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, state chairmen and other stakeholders to protect the integrity of the party’s presidential nomination process.

He also called on the party leadership to preserve official records relating to the presidential primary, nomination, submission of documents and communications with INEC.

Abbas further maintained that any alteration to the party’s presidential ticket should only be undertaken through lawful, transparent and verifiable procedures prescribed by the party’s constitution and relevant electoral laws.

He urged political stakeholders to respect the rights of party members and supporters and allow democratic processes to determine candidates for the 2027 elections.

“Our party belongs to its members. Our mandate belongs to the people. And our democracy belongs to Nigeria,” he said.

A Civil Society Organisation, Yiaga Africa, has warned that rising tension, pre-election violence and inflammatory rhetoric could discourage voters from participating in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The organisation raised the alarm on Thursday during a pre-election press conference in Osogbo, where the Chairperson of the Osun Election Observation Mission, Dr Asmau Maikudi, urged political actors and other stakeholders to create a peaceful environment for voters.

RELATED NEWS: Election: Yiaga Africa Alleges Result Manipulation In Imo, Rivers States

Maikudi said preparations for the election were broadly on track but stressed that the credibility of the exercise would ultimately depend on the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission on election day.

She said INEC had carried out key preparations across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Card distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.

“The electoral umpire had undertaken key preparatory activities across the 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.

“Election-day credibility will depend on timely deployment, reliable technology, consistent application of the law and effective contingency planning,” she said.

However, Maikudi noted that PVC collection was disrupted in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas, limiting some eligible voters’ ability to obtain their cards.

She said although INEC had announced plans to enable affected voters to download electronic PVCs, limited access to digital services could prevent some voters from benefiting from the arrangement.

“This increases the risk of voter disenfranchisement,” she warned.

On security, the Yiaga Africa official cited the attack on a PVC collection centre in Odo-Otin, politically linked violence in Osogbo and disputes over control of motor parks as developments that had heightened security risks ahead of the poll.

She also expressed concern over what she described as an escalation in incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors.

“Yiaga Africa expressed concern over the escalation of incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors. Such rhetoric could legitimise violence, deepen partisan hostility and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“We called for intelligence-led, coordinated and strictly impartial security deployment, with enhanced protection for electoral personnel, facilities, materials and voters,” Maikudi said.

She urged security and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute electoral violence, threats, hate speech and related offences without regard to political status, party affiliation or influence.

Maikudi further warned that unresolved technical problems could disenfranchise eligible voters, create tension at polling units and undermine confidence in the credibility and legitimacy of the election.

She called for more targeted voter education, particularly for women, youths and persons with disabilities, stressing the need to sustain political awareness and civic engagement ahead of the election.

Yiaga Africa also identified voter inducement as a significant integrity risk, saying it had documented the distribution of money and gift items by political actors.

According to Maikudi, some of the distributions were presented as social interventions or charitable support, but their timing and proximity to campaign activities raised concerns about voter inducement and undue influence.

She said voter education activities had expanded since July 1, with INEC, civil society organisations and the National Orientation Agency playing key roles.

Maikudi, however, cautioned that pre-election violence, inflammatory rhetoric and persistent distrust in the electoral process could suppress voter participation on election day.

Residents of Osun State have expressed concern that escalating political violence and killings ahead of Saturday’s governorship election could discourage voters from turning out to exercise their franchise.

Some residents who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday also questioned whether the election would be peaceful, free and credible, without disruption, inconclusiveness or cancellation.

SEE MORE: Why Osun Needs Me for Another Term — Adeleke

A civil servant, Seun Akinboboye, said the rising political tension and reported killings could scare voters away from polling units.

He urged candidates and political actors to ensure their supporters obeyed the rules and avoided acts capable of triggering violence.

Akinboboye also appealed to security agencies to provide adequate protection for voters on Election Day to enable them to perform their civic responsibility without fear.

Similarly, a business owner, Demilola Olasunkanmi, said the activities of political thugs had become alarming and required urgent intervention.

She called for increased security during and after the election, urging security personnel to restrict movement during the poll to essential workers and others with legitimate reasons to be on the streets.

Olasunkanmi also advised residents to remain vigilant and cautious to avoid becoming victims of any unforeseen incident.

For Elizabeth Oluwatoyin, the fear of political violence is strong enough to keep her and her family away from the polls.

“All these politicians are the same. It is always about their selfish interest and enriching themselves and their families.

“I will not, because of the election, let them kill me. They have been killing each other for the past two to three months,” she said.

Oluwatoyin said she had warned her daughter against discussing politics publicly to avoid becoming a target.

She also said she had appealed to her husband not to risk his life for any politician, noting that politicians could eventually reconcile after the election.

“As the whole thing is going, I don’t think anybody from my family will go out and vote in this coming governorship election,” she added.

However, an elderly resident, Ajeniwura Adeoye, said he would not allow the violence to prevent him from voting.

“Look at me, I am almost 70 years old and I have been voting since 1979.
“I cannot be intimidated at my age and prevented from coming out now to vote for the candidate I want,” he said.

Adeoye said he believed the killings and shootings were intended to discourage voters from participating in the election.

While acknowledging the concerns over safety, he urged residents to come out and exercise their franchise, noting that the police had assured the public of adequate security.

He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain impartial and urged security agencies to protect voters on Election Day.

Meanwhile, a businesswoman, Ronke Ajibade, said her expectation was for a peaceful election without bloodshed or killings.

She said she would be willing to vote if the security situation remained calm, while appealing to candidates and political parties to play by the rules and reject violence.

Another resident of Owode-Ede, Olawale Ibrahim, described the political atmosphere as frightening, warning that continued tension could discourage voters from participating.

He urged political actors to regard the election as a normal contest in which there would be a winner and a loser, rather than treating it as a do-or-die affair.

NAN reports that there have been a series of killings in Osun ahead of the election, with political parties trading accusations and counter-accusations.

The concerns over voter safety come as the state prepares for Saturday’s governorship election, with residents calling for stronger security measures to ensure that eligible voters can participate without fear.