ADC: INEC Plotting to Stop Us Ahead of 2027 Elections

• By deploying administrative landmines against us  

• Says commission’s position contradicts 2026 electoral act

• Obi media warns against clandestine moves to block his candidacy 

• Dele Momodu: APC miscalculated, didn’t think Atiku, Kwankwaso, others could work together 

•ADC youths threaten civil action, to occupy INEC’s offices nationwide, demands Amupitan’s resignation

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of deploying deliberate administrative landmines to prevent it from fielding candidates in the coming general election.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC said at the heart of the emerging plot was INEC’s stated position that it would no longer receive any correspondence from the party pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court.

ADC stated, “On its face, this may appear procedural. In reality, it creates a direct and dangerous conflict with the clear timelines imposed by the Electoral Act (2026), which provides defined windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements, within which political parties must complete critical electoral processes.”

According to Abdullahi, ‘’We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) 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 sworn 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. It 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 sworn 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 recognised.

“That such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference, that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction, and also recognises 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.”

Making further reference to the laws, the ADC national publicity secretary stated, ‘’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 judgement 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.”

Abdullahi declared, ‘’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.”

He stated, ‘’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.

‘’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.

‘’We also call on Nigerians to be wary and remain vigilant about these dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship on the country.’’

Peter Obi Media Office Warns Against Clandestine Plot to Block His Candidacy

The Media Office of Peter Obi alerted the country and the international community to a sinister scheme by President Bola Tinubu and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to deny Obi a platform in the January 2027 elections.

In a statement, the spokesman for the media office, Umar Ibrahim, said the underhand plan had been in motion since the conclusion of the 2023 general election, with the deliberate injection of crisis into Obi’s then Labour Party (LP) to prevent him from securing a foothold in the election.

Ibrahim said, ‘’Despite Obi’s relentless efforts to restore peace within the party, government infiltrators, aided by a compromised judiciary, have consistently thwarted these attempts.

‘’In April 2025, the Supreme Court of our land delivered a ruling regarding the rightful control of the party. Yet, the ruling party has cavalierly disregarded this decision, using lower courts to undermine the authority of the Supreme Court effectively.”

Ibrahim said, ‘’When credible intelligence indicated that internal turmoil would persist until Obi was ousted, he made the difficult decision to exit the party to safeguard its future.

‘’As predicted by this scheme, when Obi left on December 31, 2025, the courts that had previously ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling suddenly took action on January 7, 2026, dismissing the meddlesome intrusions of Julius Abure and his faction.

‘’After fully aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition and bringing renewed vigour to the party, the ruling party escalated its efforts to sabotage him.

“They pursued bizarre legislative changes that culminated in a detrimental amendment to the Electoral Act, explicitly designed to exert pressure on the ADC and undermine Obi’s presidential ambitions.’’

The Obidient Movement also accused APC of plotting to deny Obi a platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

National Coordinator of the movement, Yunusa Tanko, alleged that the delisting of the ADC leadership by INEC was part of a broader strategy to prevent Obi from contesting in the next presidential poll.

Speaking with journalists, Tanko stated the alleged plan had been on since the 2023 general election, describing it as a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

He said, “This underhanded plan has been in motion since the 2023 election, deliberately injecting crises into Obi’s former party, the Labour Party, to prevent him from securing a foothold.”

Tanko also accused the APC government at the centre of extending its sabotage to ADC following Obi’s defection to the party on purpose to deny him a platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He stated, “The ruling party escalated its sabotage, pursuing legislative changes that led to a damaging amendment to the Electoral Act, explicitly designed to pressure the ADC and undermine Obi’s presidential ambitions.

“Obi’s visit on March 22, 2026 to former Kano Governor and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, where he was warmly received by Kwankwasiyya members, only intensified the ruling party’s hostility.

“The tipping point came at the ADC’s massive rally in Kano on March 30, 2026, where Kwankwaso officially joined the ADC. In a desperate move, the government manipulated INEC to reinterpret an appeal court ruling, leading to the delisting of the ADC’s leadership.”

Dele Momodu: APC Miscalculated, Didn’t Think Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso Could Work Together

A chieftain of ADC, Dele Momodu, said APC miscalculated by thinking that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso could never work together.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, yesterday, Momodu alleged that APC was trying to weaken the opposition parties.

He stated, “The truth is, they first let the ADC stay out of it, hoping that Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Kwankwaso would never team up together. It was a miscalculation.

“The APC, proud of its power, tried to create problems in all the main opposition parties. The way INEC approved the PDP faction so quickly says a lot.”

Reacting to concerns over the courts’ increasing involvement in the determination of election results, Momodu said top government officials were trying to control the judiciary, and they were using economic problems to gain more political power.

He said trying to create a system where only one party was allowed, or putting all power in one person’s hands would eventually not work.

Momodu said, “High-level government officials are putting a lot of resources into the judiciary as part of their overall plan. When you use poverty as a weapon, people end up relying on getting rice given out to them.

“It’s really shocking that they want to turn Nigeria into a country ruled by just one party or one person. It might take some time, but it won’t work.”

ADC Youths Threaten Civil Action, Vow to Occupy INEC Offices, Want Amupitan Out

The National Youth wing of ADC issued a 72-hour ultimatum to INEC to recognise the David Mark leadership of the party or face a massive nationwide protest.

The ADC youth wing also demanded immediate resignation of Professor Joash Amupitan as Chairman of INEC.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, in conjunction with Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), ADC National Youth Leader, Hon. Balarabe Rufai, said if INEC failed to comply within 72 hours, “We will initiate nationwide, peaceful, and lawful civic action across all 36 states and the FCT.”

According to Rufai, “On July 29, 2025, the African Democratic Congress held a lawful NEC meeting under the full supervision of INEC. That meeting dissolved the previous National Working Committee (NWC), produced a new leadership led by Senator David Mark.

“INEC received the outcome, verified the process, officially uploaded and recognised this leadership on September 9, 2025. There was: No dispute. No objection. No ambiguity. So, what changed? Power, pressure and political interference.

“Months later, individuals, who had already resigned resurfaced to challenge a process they had no legal standing in. While the matter remains before the courts, the Court of Appeal ordered, maintain status quo ante bellum, the last uncontested position.

“That position is clear, the leadership under Senator David Mark. Yet INEC chose to ignore established facts, disregard due process, and unlawfully interpret a court order.”

The ADC youth leader said, “Let it be stated unequivocally: INEC has no constitutional authority to interpret court orders. That duty belongs strictly to the courts. What INEC has done is not neutrality. It is complicity, partisanship and institutional sabotage.

“We ask the INEC chairman directly: on what legal basis did INEC act on letters and an ex parte motion that has neither been heard nor determined by a court of competent jurisdiction? Why did INEC act on pending motions? Rely on letters instead of binding court orders?”

Ex-INEC Director Faults Commission on ADC

A former Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, Mr. Oluwole Uzzi, faulted the electoral body’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling on the leadership dispute in ADC.

Uzzi said the law did not envisage that at any given time there will be no leadership in a party. He warned against a situation that could leave a political party without leadership.

While questioning INEC’s position on maintaining the “status quo ante bellum”, Uzzi insisted that there had to be leadership of a political party at all times.

Uzzi expressed the concerns when he featured on Arise Television.

The former INEC director said while he acknowledged the legal competence within the commission, the electoral body’s interpretation of the ruling of the Court of Appeal was questionable.

He stated, “The chairman of the commission is a respected academic and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and there is a very vibrant legal department in the commission. I want to think they carefully studied that judgement. But in its interpretation, I have reservations.”

Uzzi declared that INEC misinterpreted the appeal court ruling by suspending recognition of Mark and Aregbesola’s leadership of ADC.

He said the Court of Appeal’s directive was limited to preserving the integrity of the ongoing legal process and not to determine leadership within the party.

Uzzi expressed serious concerns over INEC’s decision to withdraw recognition of the Mark-led leadership of ADC.

He said, “I disagree with the conclusions reached by the commission. In INEC’s extrapolation of the Court of Appeal’s order, I have reservations; the court did not instruct INEC to withdraw recognition from either faction.

“It simply stated that all parties to the action should refrain from doing anything that would render the likely judgement nugatory.”