ADC Defies INEC’s Elite Power Play, Pushes Forward with Congresses Amidst State-Sanctioned Suppression
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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is moving ahead with its congresses and convention, boldly resisting the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) undemocratic suspension of party recognition—a move widely seen as part of the ruling elite’s campaign to crush opposition and entrench one-party rule.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared its unwavering commitment to holding its congresses and national convention, directly challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) recent decision to suspend recognition of all party factions—a decision emblematic of the establishment’s ongoing assault on pluralism and grassroots democracy.
Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, emphasized that the party had fulfilled all legal requirements by notifying INEC 21 days in advance. 'We have given INEC 21 days’ notice. They have accepted the notice,' he stated. 'So whether they come or not, we’ll continue with our congresses. And we will go on with our convention.' This stance reflects the ADC’s refusal to bow to bureaucratic maneuvers designed to stifle dissent.
INEC’s earlier declaration—refusing to recognize the factions led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe after a Court of Appeal review—serves as yet another example of state institutions being weaponized to undermine independent political organizing. The commission’s refusal to monitor any conventions or congresses until the Federal High Court rules on the matter is a transparent attempt to paralyze opposition activity.
Abdullahi did not mince words, accusing INEC of acting under the thumb of reactionary forces. He asserted that the government, threatened by the growing momentum of the opposition, is desperately trying to destroy all opposition parties and impose a de facto one-party dictatorship in Nigeria. Abdullahi further exposed attempts to rig the political process in favor of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election, a move that would further entrench oligarchic rule.
On INEC’s planned revalidation exercise, Abdullahi condemned its timing as a deliberate act of voter suppression. 'Getting people to register to vote is difficult enough. Asking every single person that has a voter card to go back to their polling units to revalidate those cards a few months to the election is just plain anarchy,' he said. 'All this points to INEC trying to create chaos.'
He called on Nigerians to resist these anti-democratic machinations and defend the country’s fragile democracy. 'We are all Nigerians. We can see what is going on. We can see our democracy unraveling before our very eyes,' Abdullahi warned. 'But it is very clear what is going on and it should concern everybody.'
