April 06, (THEWILL) — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could effectively bar the party from participating in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said INEC’s refusal to accept official correspondence from the ADC, undermines its statutory obligations, including meeting key legal deadlines required to field candidates, the 21-day notice requirement, and the May 10 submission deadline.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC pointed out that INEC had previously monitored, documented, and formally recognized its leadership. Certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and affidavits confirm the party’s leadership changes, 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. 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,” the party stated.
Abdullahi warned that this position could create “artificial non-compliance,” which may later be used to justify excluding the ADC from the elections, leaving the party with no practical way to meet legal requirements.
“We therefore call on the Commission to immediately reverse this position, resume the acceptance of all lawful correspondence from the ADC, and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties,” the statement added.
The ADC also appealed to Nigerians to stay vigilant, cautioning against what it described as “dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship.”
As the May 10 deadline approaches, the standoff between INEC and ADC raises critical questions about electoral fairness and the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
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