Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take immediate and firm action against political parties engaging in premature campaign activities, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Ejiofor made this appeal during an interview on Arise News, expressing deep concern over the growing political activity nearly two years ahead of Nigeria’s next general election.
Ejiofor warned that allowing political parties to commence campaigns this early could lead to significant security challenges. He stated that Nigeria’s fragile security landscape could be further destabilized by unchecked political maneuvering, alliances, and candidate endorsements so far ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
He emphasized that the country was already grappling with complex security threats and asserted that most of these issues were politically driven. According to him, over 80 percent of Nigeria’s security problems have political roots. He cautioned that the ongoing political developments—such as early endorsements, party realignments, and the emergence of presidential aspirants—are all likely to escalate tensions if left unregulated.
The former DSS chief criticized the ruling APC and the ADC in particular for engaging in what he described as premature political activities. He noted that the ADC had already produced three presidential aspirants, while the APC appeared to be endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term, despite the election being almost two years away. He also pointed out the internal disarray within the Labour Party, adding that the political climate across the board was rapidly heating up.
Ejiofor stressed that these developments are distractions from governance and urged President Tinubu’s administration to shift its focus away from the 2027 elections and concentrate on addressing pressing national issues. He argued that political actors should not be allowed to dominate public discourse and distract institutions from performing their duties effectively.
The former DSS director expressed disappointment that INEC had only recently issued a public warning to political parties about their conduct, saying the electoral body should have acted earlier to prevent this trend. He welcomed the warning but insisted that verbal cautions were no longer sufficient to address the growing challenge.
Ejiofor called on INEC to go beyond issuing statements and take concrete legal steps to stop the early campaigns. He argued that failure to act decisively would only embolden more parties and aspirants to jumpstart their campaigns, further stretching the capacity of Nigeria’s already burdened security agencies.
He said, “Every well-meaning Nigerian, every patriotic Nigeria should be worried about this political development of campaigns two years before the election. We have a lot of security challenges facing us, and our security agencies are trying to contain these issues.”
He further added, “If you look at all these political alignments, realignment, movements and coalitions, these are posing threats to our national security.”
Ejiofor reiterated that the government should remain focused on delivering governance and tackling insecurity, rather than allowing the political atmosphere to spiral out of control. He said early political campaigns could inflame tensions and deepen divisions, especially in communities already on edge due to economic and social hardships.
According to him, the political class must be held accountable for actions that risk plunging the country into avoidable crises. He urged INEC to take responsibility by enforcing the rules and timelines laid out in the Electoral Act, which clearly outlines when campaign activities should officially commence.
INEC has yet to confirm what specific actions it intends to take beyond its initial warning. However, Ejiofor’s comments add to growing public concerns about the increasing pace of political activity in Nigeria ahead of 2027.
Observers and civil society groups have also expressed concern that allowing campaigns to proceed unchecked this early could lead to increased political violence, misinformation, and further division among the electorate. Many are now looking to INEC to assert its authority and prevent a repeat of past election cycles marked by premature campaigns and disregard for electoral guidelines.
Ejiofor concluded by emphasizing the importance of proactive governance and legal enforcement, noting that national stability must take precedence over political ambition.
