The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government of pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to interfere with its internal leadership structure. The allegation follows the recent defection of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to the opposition party.
In a statement issued on March 31, 2026, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi alleged that federal authorities are leveraging the electoral commission to destabilize the party’s operations. Abdullahi framed the move as a coordinated effort to weaken political opposition and deter additional high-profile defections, citing concerns that ADC’s growing voter base has unsettled the ruling party.
The controversy centers on a March 28 letter from a group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, reportedly acting for an expelled ADC member. The legal practitioners requested that INEC Chairman Joash Ojo Amupitan invalidate recent party decisions and restructure its executive leadership before a final court ruling. The ADC rejected the premise, describing it as an unconventional interpretation of a Court of Appeal judgment concerning the legal principle of status quo ante bellum. Party officials emphasized that the underlying litigation remains sub judice and that judicial processes should run their course without preemptive administrative intervention.
The statement further alleged that the letter threatened the INEC chairman with arrest if the demands were not fulfilled within seven days. ADC leadership dismissed the petitioners’ standing, noting that the individual in question is neither a current member nor a recognized former national chairman, having resigned alongside previous National Working Committee members prior to expulsion. The party characterized the correspondence as an attempt to force the electoral body into a partisan stance.
Urging INEC to operate strictly within constitutional boundaries, the ADC maintained that institutional neutrality is essential to protecting citizens’ political rights. Abdullahi stated that manufactured legal pressure would not disrupt the party’s organizational expansion, reaffirming that Nigerians continue to align with emerging opposition platforms.
The dispute places renewed scrutiny on INEC’s administrative mandate as Nigeria navigates frequent political realignments. How the commission addresses allegations of external interference and internal party litigation will likely shape perceptions of electoral integrity ahead of future civic exercises.
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