Bwala criticises ADC Leaders as Obi, Atiku Join Abuja protest against INEC deregistration

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria, 9 April 2026 (NPA) — Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, has criticised leaders and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following their protest in Abuja, accusing them of being unprepared for elections and driven by personal ambition.

In a post on X, reposted by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bwala alleged that the ADC was attempting to “import foreign interference” into Nigeria’s elections by claiming the country was sliding into a one-party state. He described the party’s leadership as an “association of party-grabbing elements.”

The protest, held at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was organised to demand reversal of INEC’s decision to deregister the ADC, citing ongoing court proceedings.

Peter Obi, a presidential aspirant and ADC leader, joined the demonstration and declared: “We will not remain silent, we will not be intimidated, and we will not surrender the future of this nation. The will of the people must prevail—stronger, louder, and impossible to suppress.”

Other prominent figures at the protest included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; former Senate President David Mark; former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, among others.

In his statement titled “Standing Up for Democracy”, Obi described the protest as both a defence of democratic values and a reflection of Nigeria’s political decline.