A fresh crisis has hit the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) ahead of the 2027 general election after one of its presidential aspirants, Mrs Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, resigned from the party and demanded a refund of her nomination fee over what she described as an unfair primary process.
Busari-Akinnadeju, a female presidential hopeful from Ondo State, announced her resignation in a letter addressed to the party’s National Chairman, accusing the leadership of abandoning internal democracy by settling for a consensus arrangement instead of allowing aspirants to contest freely.
The resignation, which surfaced on Friday, is expected to deepen concerns about internal wrangling and transparency within emerging political parties preparing for the 2027 presidential race.
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In the letter obtained in Akure, the former aspirant said she could no longer remain in a party that failed to uphold its own constitutional principles and electoral promises.
“I do not resign in defeat. I resign because I am not permitted a fair contest, and I will not lend my name to a process that has abandoned its own rules,” she wrote.
Busari-Akinnadeju also demanded the immediate refund of the presidential nomination fee she paid to the party, arguing that the DLA failed to provide the fair and lawful primary election it promised aspirants.
“I therefore respectfully request written confirmation of receipt of this resignation and a refund of the presidential nomination fee I paid, the consideration for which, a fair and lawful primary, the party has not provided,” she stated.
She further requested the return of all personal documents and materials submitted to the party during the nomination process.
The Ondo-born politician expressed disappointment that the leadership opted for a consensus candidate, describing the move as harmful to the party’s growth and democratic credibility.
According to her, political parties seeking to govern Nigeria must first demonstrate fairness, transparency and accountability within their own structures.
“A party that cannot conduct a fair primary among its own aspirants cannot credibly promise a fair country to its citizens,” she said.
Despite quitting the DLA, Busari-Akinnadeju declared that her presidential ambition remained alive, insisting that recent events had strengthened her resolve to continue pushing her “Dare Nigeria” political movement.
“My commitment to the 2027 presidential race and the Dare Agenda is undimmed and, in fact, strengthened by what I have witnessed. I will continue that work on a platform worthy of it,” she added.
The development comes as political realignments and coalition talks continue to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, with several emerging parties attempting to position themselves as alternatives to Nigeria’s dominant political blocs.
Analysts say internal democracy and transparent primaries are likely to become major issues in the coming political season as parties battle to attract credible candidates and dissatisfied politicians from rival camps.
The DLA has yet to issue an official response to the resignation or the demand for refund as of the time of filing this report.
Busari-Akinnadeju hails from Akungba Akoko in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State and had been one of the prominent female aspirants positioning for the 2027 presidential contest.
Her exit now raises fresh questions about the stability of the party’s internal processes and its readiness to manage a competitive national election cycle.
