2027 Elections Will Be Worse Than 2023 — Sam Amadi Raises Alarm Over Party Primaries

The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, has said that Nigeria is currently experiencing its most troubled period in party organisational politics.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Amadi made this statement on Sunday during a live interview on Arise Television, where he reviewed the conduct of party primaries ahead of the next general elections.

He explained that the level of confusion, internal crises, and uncertainty surrounding the ongoing primary season is more severe than what was witnessed ahead of the 2023 general elections.

According to him, while the 2023 primaries were also affected by disputes, the current situation appears more complicated due to growing instability within major political parties.

“This is the worst we have had in party organisational politics in Nigeria. In 2023, we had crises here and there, but it wasn’t at this level,” he said.

Amadi further argued that political parties entered the 2023 elections with clearer identities and more structured organisation compared to the present situation, where internal divisions are more pronounced.

“We went into the primaries with clarity. PDP was PDP, APC was APC, we didn’t have the confusion we have now,” he added.

The policy analyst also weighed in on the increasing use of direct primaries by political parties, noting that the practice can be assessed from different perspectives.

He acknowledged that despite its shortcomings, the continued use of primaries reflects some level of democratic process within party structures.

“The second issue we have now is the transition to direct primaries. There are two ways to look at it. We are making progress. No matter how damaged these processes are, at least there’s a process,” he said.

However, he expressed concern about the overall quality of party organisation as Nigeria prepares for future elections.

Reports indicate that his comments come amid rising scrutiny of party primaries across the country, with concerns over internal democracy, factional conflicts, consensus arrangements, and leadership influence in candidate selection.

Amadi emphasized that candidate selection remains central to electoral credibility, as political parties serve as the main channel for citizens’ participation in democracy.

The former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has consistently maintained that weak internal democracy contributes to poor governance outcomes.

He called on political parties to strengthen their structures, adhere strictly to internal rules, and improve the transparency of their nomination processes.

While noting that direct primaries may appear more inclusive, he stressed the need for transparency to prevent them from becoming another source of conflict.

According to him, the ongoing challenges within party structures should concern all stakeholders, as the quality of candidates produced will ultimately determine the quality of governance.

He warned that Nigeria’s democracy could remain fragile if political parties continue to operate with internal confusion, weak organisation, and unresolved disputes ahead of elections.