By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Eagle Brain Human Rights Organization (EB-HRO) has strongly condemned the recently concluded primary elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the process as a “total subversion of democracy” and calling on Nigerians to take action ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Kaduna State and signed by its Executive Director, Daniel Ejembi, the organisation alleged that the primaries were characterised by imposition, manipulation, and exclusion of citizens from the democratic process.
According to the group, the exercise amounted to a “blatant abuse of power” and a coordinated takeover of the ballot process by political actors.
“The recently concluded APC primary elections across Nigeria represent a total subversion of our democratic process and a blatant abuse of power. What we witnessed was not an exercise of the people’s will, but a coordinated hijack of the ballot where citizens were denied their right to vote and be voted for,” the statement read.
EB-HRO further claimed that in several states, the primaries were reduced to what it described as “a coronation of preferred candidates backed by the machinery of the ruling government.”
The organisation also expressed concern over what it called contradictions among some political actors, alleging that individuals who previously criticised electoral manipulation are now benefiting from similar processes.
It specifically referenced developments in Kaduna State’s senatorial contests, describing them as evidence of political opportunism and compromised integrity.
According to the rights group, such practices undermine public trust in democracy and weaken accountability in governance.
“The most shocking case occurred in Kaduna Zone 2, where a self-described ‘comrade’ who built a public profile fighting for a better Nigeria is now the direct beneficiary of a victory bought and delivered by the ruling establishment,” Ejembi stated.
The group urged Nigerians to reject candidates whose emergence, it claimed, was not driven by popular will but by political imposition.
It warned that such candidates would be more accountable to those who sponsored their emergence than to the electorate.
“Candidates imposed through this process will never represent the people’s interest; they will only represent the interest of those who paid for their victory,” the statement added.
EB-HRO also called on citizens to become more politically active ahead of the 2027 elections, urging voter registration, mobilisation, and participation in the electoral process.
“Nigeria’s democracy will not heal itself. We must collectively work to flush out bad leaders and restore accountability to our politics. The time to get involved is now,” the group said.
