ADC warns INEC’s decision could jeopardise 2027 participation

Africa, Politics

ABUJA, April 7, 2026 (NPA) — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised alarm that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to stop receiving its correspondence pending a Federal High Court ruling could jeopardise its participation in the 2027 elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, said INEC sits at the centre of the emerging crisis.

Abdullahi explained that while the commission’s action might appear procedural, it directly conflicts with timelines in the Electoral Act 2026, which provides defined compliance windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements for political parties.

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“This has revealed the deliberate administrative landmines being deployed by INEC to prevent the party from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections,” Abdullahi said. He added that documentary evidence, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the commission’s sworn affidavit, establish a clear record of events.

He noted that INEC monitored the ADC’s July 29, 2025 NEC meeting, documented proceedings, updated records, and recognised the new leadership, including Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola. “These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records,” he stressed.

Abdullahi argued that leadership transition had already been completed and recognised, and such internal party matters fall outside judicial interference. “Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous,” he said.

He further noted that INEC had fixed May 10 as the submission deadline, but its refusal to accept ADC correspondence within that period could block compliance with statutory requirements. “This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can justify excluding the party from fielding candidates,” Abdullahi warned.

He added that INEC claimed its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. “The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court, the commission has undermined the very process it claims to protect,” he said.

The spokesman urged INEC to reverse its position, resume accepting lawful correspondence, and uphold its constitutional duty to ensure fairness and a level playing field.