Photo File: Comrade Ayodeji Ologun,  Public Affairs Analyst

Public affairs analyst Ayodeji Ologun has warned that the rising cases of early political campaigning in Nigeria are threats to governance, deliverables, and democracy. He also condemned the detention of activist Omoyele Sowore, describing it as “unfortunate” and “a clampdown on dissenting voices.”

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5FM, Ologun argued that political alignment and realignment are legal at any time under Nigeria’s constitutional right to freedom of association. However, he stressed that “the moment an individual begins to ask for votes, that is campaign. Anyone who does contrary to this is going against the provisions of the law.”

He accused the National Democratic Commission (NDC) of selective enforcement of campaign laws, citing a past incident where posters of President Bola Tinubu appeared in Abuja ahead of the 2027 elections. “Ghosts could not have done it,” he said, faulting the presidency’s denial and the NDC’s inaction. “Because it was Mr President, nothing was done about it. That has enabled other parties to start talking campaign.”

Ologun distinguished between alignment, endorsement, and campaigning, noting that endorsements do not necessarily constitute campaigns. However, he warned that opposition parties cross the legal line when they urge voters to reject incumbents in upcoming elections. “That is public campaign. It is different from criticism, which is the work of the opposition,” he said.

He cautioned that early campaigning undermines governance by shifting focus away from service delivery. “The only time they get to do real government work is the second year. The first year is used to settle tribunals. By the third year, they are renegotiating re-election,” he said, comparing some political maneuvers to “buying players in a football club.”

Calling for stiffer penalties, he posited that the fine is not enough. Rather, the bar should be raised to create fear in people who might want to engage in early campaign. He also reiterated his advocacy for a single six-year term for presidents and governors, arguing that it would eliminate the distraction of re-election.

On the detention of Omoyele Sowore, Ologun expressed strong disapproval, describing the activist as “a senior colleague” and an “endangered species” in Nigeria’s democratic space. He alleged that Sowore was detained beyond the 48-hour limit set by law without being charged to court.

“The police are lawbreakers,” Ologun declared. “Let them tell us what exact law Omoyele Sowore has broken, what crime he has committed, and why they released him without charging him to court.” He condemned the alleged torture of suspects, saying it violates the law and undermines democratic principles.

“This is condemnable and I join every reasonable Nigerian to say that the police force is becoming an arm of the government, and that is not why they are being paid with taxpayers’ money,” he concluded.