Activist warns last-minute postponement could drain candidates’ resources and undermine election preparations
Human rights activist and politician Aisha Yesufu has warned of a possible attempt to manipulate Nigeria’s 2027 general elections through a last-minute postponement of the polls.
Yesufu raised the concern in a post on X on Sunday, 25 October, alleging that one possible strategy could involve shifting the election by a week shortly before voting begins.
She argued that such a move could place political candidates under considerable financial and logistical pressure, particularly after they had committed most of their campaign resources.
“I don’t know why I feel one of the game plans to rig this election will be for the election to be postponed by a week on the eve of election or very close to that day,” she wrote.
The activist said candidates would be vulnerable at that stage because much of their campaign spending would already have been completed, potentially forcing them to spend again if the election were rescheduled.
“You have spent all your monies and all spending already done has to start afresh,” she added.
Yesufu urged political actors to prepare for unexpected developments as the country approaches the next general elections.
She also cautioned against responding to alleged wrongdoing with similar tactics, stressing that those seeking to challenge injustice must maintain discipline and avoid adopting the methods they oppose.
“If you are fighting evil, you must think evil but have the discipline to not do the evil otherwise you become what you are fighting,” she said.
The activist added that anticipating possible challenges and developing strategies to address them remained central to her approach.
“My business, always is to think of all ‘what ifs’ and prepare the strategy to mitigate them, bring it all on,” she wrote.
Nigeria is expected to hold its next general elections in 2027, with political parties and aspirants preparing for contests across the country.
Yesufu’s remarks represent her concern about a possible scenario; her post does not, in itself, establish that there is a plan to postpone the elections or manipulate the outcome.
Any decision on the timing and conduct of the polls will be subject to the applicable electoral framework and the actions of the relevant electoral authorities.
