International human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, has cautioned Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against assuming that political dominance and electoral manoeuvres can guarantee victory at the polls.
Ogebe cited recent political developments in the United States, where efforts by some Republican-controlled states to strengthen their electoral advantage reportedly failed to prevent significant Democratic victories.
The lawyer drew parallels between the political situations in Nigeria and the US, arguing that the APC’s growing control of state governments should not be interpreted as an assurance of electoral success.
Speaking on the issue, Ogebe referenced attempts by US President Donald Trump to exert greater federal influence over electoral processes, including the deployment of federal observers, which reportedly faced legal resistance.
He also highlighted electoral redistricting and changes to polling arrangements in some US states, noting that such measures did not necessarily produce the desired political outcomes.
“Trump tried to overreach; he tried to have federal observers and so on. He went to court, and he pushed back,” Ogebe said.
He added that some states had undertaken extensive electoral restructuring, including redrawing electoral districts and altering polling arrangements, in an attempt to influence voting outcomes.
“They nullified polling centres, they did a lot of restructuring to try and control the vote, and they still lost,” he stated.
Relating the developments to Nigeria, Ogebe argued that the APC’s growing political influence across several states should not be mistaken for guaranteed electoral success.
“Let me point out that we have a similar situation in Nigeria, where the Federal Government has literally, through the APC, acquired a lot of states.
“So we see similarities between both countries. It failed in America, despite everything that happened. They lost over 500 seats across the nation, and so that’s a lesson that, you know, the people in power must fear the power of the people,” he added.
Ogebe’s remarks highlighted the importance of democratic accountability and the power of voters to determine electoral outcomes, regardless of the political influence and resources available to incumbent administrations.
He maintained that political leaders must recognise that control of government institutions, electoral restructuring and political manoeuvres cannot ultimately override the will of the electorate.
The comments followed the November 3, 2026, US midterm elections, in which Democrats reportedly recorded significant victories, taking control of both chambers of Congress despite Republican efforts to strengthen their electoral position through redistricting in several states.
The outcome was widely regarded as a setback for President Trump and reinforced the argument that political dominance and electoral strategies do not necessarily translate into victory at the ballot box.
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