By Abiola Olawale
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised a red flag ahead of the 2027 general elections, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of a calculated attempt to stifle the party and prevent it from fielding candidates.
The allegations follow INEC’s recent decision to withdraw recognition from the party’s leadership factions, a move the ADC claims is designed to “destabilize the opposition” and pave the way for a one-party system.
The friction escalated last week after INEC announced it would halt all engagement with the ADC.
The commission cited ongoing legal battles between rival factions—specifically one led by Senator David Mark—as the reason for its neutrality.
According to INEC, the decision to “maintain the status quo ante bellum” is a direct response to a Court of Appeal directive.
However, ADC stakeholders view this as a convenient excuse to lock the party out of the 2027 electoral timetable.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in a statement on Monday.
The party stated, “We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent the African Democratic Congress from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections. It is based on documentary evidence, which we are now placing before the Nigerian public, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the Commission’s own affidavit. Taken together, these documents establish a clear and consistent record of events.
“INEC received formal notice of the July 29, 2025, National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ADC. It deployed officials to monitor that meeting, documented the proceedings, and received formal reports from its field officers. Following this, INEC updated its internal records and uploaded the names of the new leadership, including Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
“These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records. In addition, the Commission’s affidavit before the Federal High Court, in its response to Nafiu Bala Gombe on 12 September 2025, particularly in Clauses 14 to 19, affirms key legal principles: that the leadership transition had already been completed and recognized; that such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference; that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction; and also recognizes the David Mark-led NWC.
“Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous.”
The ADC said the situation puts it in a difficult position and opens the door to forced non-compliance that could be used to bar it from fielding candidates.
It continued, “The Electoral Act imposes strict timelines on political parties, including the 21-day notice requirement and submission deadlines. INEC itself has fixed May 10 as the deadline for the submission of relevant documents. However, by refusing to receive communication from the ADC within this same period, the Commission is effectively preventing the party from complying with the law.
“In simple terms, INEC is effectively threatening that unless the courts deliver judgment on the ADC leadership issue by May 10, it will prevent the ADC from producing candidates. This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can then be used to justify excluding the party from fielding candidates. That is the landmine.
“INEC has claimed that its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering the proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court and issuing a pronouncement with clear legal and operational consequences, the Commission has itself undermined the very process it claims to protect.
“What is even more concerning is that this position contradicts INEC’s own prior conduct and legal stance. The same Commission that monitored, documented, recognised, and swore to an affidavit confirming the ADC leadership is now acting in a way that contradicts its earlier position.”
