A former presidential aspirant of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, has resigned from the party, accusing its leadership of attempting to impose a consensus candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
Busari-Akinnadeju, a legal practitioner and Chartered Arbitrator, announced her resignation in a statement released in Abuja on Friday, saying she could no longer remain in a political platform that allegedly denied members the right to freely choose their candidate.
She disclosed that her resignation letter was formally submitted on May 28, 2026, noting that she deliberately made the announcement on Inauguration Day because of its symbolic importance to Nigeria’s democratic ideals.
According to her, the day serves as a reminder that political authority should flow from the freely expressed will of the people.
The former aspirant stated that she purchased the party’s presidential nomination form in April 2026 and was screened and cleared by the party’s screening committee before her status later became tied to a disciplinary process allegedly triggered by a private WhatsApp message.
She claimed the disciplinary proceedings were carried out without proper notice or details of the allegations against her, adding that the panel was headed by the party’s National Legal Adviser.
Busari-Akinnadeju further alleged that state chairmen within the party were instructed not to participate in the presidential primary election but instead forward figures to the National Secretariat to facilitate the emergence of a consensus candidate.
She argued that such a move contravened the Electoral Act 2026, explaining that Section 87(1) of the law requires the written consent of all cleared aspirants before a consensus arrangement can stand, while Section 84(1) mandates direct primaries where such consent is not secured.
She said, “On Inauguration Day, when Nigeria celebrates the right of citizens to choose their leaders, I cannot remain in a party that denies that same right to its own members. I joined the race to compete fairly, but it became clear that merit would not determine the outcome.”
The former presidential hopeful maintained that she refused to endorse any consensus arrangement and alleged that her removal as a cleared aspirant created room for the process to proceed unhindered.
She added that she would now focus on non-partisan civic engagement through the Dare Agenda and the #DareNigeria movement.
“The task of building a fair and inclusive nation is bigger than any political party. It belongs to every Nigerian, and the journey continues.
What role 2027 will require me to play will be decided in consultation with Nigerians who have stood with me,” she added.