The national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress, has confirmed that the party will continue with its congresses and convention despite the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) position on its leadership dispute.
Abdullahi made the remarks on Thursday during an Arise TV appearance. He stated that the party had already informed INEC of its scheduled congresses and convention.
“So we are saying that we will go ahead with our congresses. We have given INEC 21 days’ notice. They have accepted the notice,” he said.
“So whether they come or not, we’ll continue with our congresses. And we will go on with our convention.”
INEC had previously announced that it would no longer recognise the factions of the ADC led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala following a Court of Appeal judgment. The electoral body said the decision was based on its assessment of the ruling.
Reacting hours later, Abdullahi alleged that the commission was acting under pressure from the federal government. He said the government had “panicked from the opposition momentum despite its efforts to destroy all opposition parties and foist a one-party rule on Nigeria.”
Abdullahi also claimed that there are attempts to manipulate the political process in favour of President ahead of the 2027 election. “When we keep saying that there’s a plan to make President Bola Tinubu the only candidate on the ballot in 2027, people think we’re being hysteric,” he said.
“They think we’re just banding conspiracy theory.”
He criticised INEC’s planned revalidation exercise just months before the poll.
“Getting people to register to vote is difficult enough. Asking every single person that has a voter card to go back to their polling units to revalidate those cards a few months to the election is just plain anarchy,” he said.
“All this points to INEC trying to create chaos.”
Abdullahi urged Nigerians to be concerned about the state of the country’s democracy. “We are all Nigerians. We can see what is going on. We can see our democracy unravelling before our very eyes,” he added.
“But it is very clear what is going on and it should concern everybody.”