The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised serious concerns over what it describes as a calculated attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exclude the party from participating in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement released on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that recent actions by the electoral body could effectively prevent the ADC from fielding candidates.
Abdullahi said the party’s claims are backed by verifiable documentary evidence, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the commission’s own affidavit.
According to him, INEC was duly notified of the ADC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025. He noted that officials of the commission attended the meeting to monitor proceedings and document outcomes.
Following the meeting, Abdullahi said INEC updated its internal records and published the names of the party’s new leadership, including David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
“These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records,” he stated.
However, the ADC spokesman pointed to what he described as a contradiction in INEC’s position. While the commission had previously argued in court that internal party matters are beyond judicial interference, it has now reportedly refused to accept correspondence from the ADC pending the resolution of a leadership dispute before the Federal High Court.
Abdullahi warned that this stance could severely hinder the party’s ability to meet statutory requirements under the Electoral Act. He explained that political parties must provide a 21-day notice and meet strict submission deadlines, with INEC already setting May 10 as the cut-off date for relevant filings.
He argued that by declining to receive official communication within that timeframe, INEC is effectively placing the ADC in a position of “artificial non-compliance,” which could later be used as grounds to disqualify the party.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
Describing the situation as untenable, the ADC called on INEC to immediately reverse its decision, resume accepting correspondence, and guarantee a level playing field for all political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.