The national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has alleged that the venue scheduled for the party’s convention in Abuja is under pressure to cancel its booking.
Abdullahi said the management of Rainbow Event Centre informed the party of threats from authorities.
He claimed the pressure was coming from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Nyesom Wike.
“After paying all the fees required, setting up for our convention tomorrow, the owner of Rainbow Event centre has just informed us that he has come under pressure from the FCDA and Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike that if he allows the ADC the use of his facilities, his licence will be revoked,” Abdullahi wrote in a post on X.
“But we have already signed the contract with him. We will hold our convention tomorrow as planned at the Rainbow event centre.
“We will not bow to this creeping tyranny. And definitely not to this petty tyrant.”
Reacting, Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president and ADC chieftain, described the alleged development as an abuse of public office.
“The reports from the spokesperson of our great party, which exposes the plans of the government and its agents to revoke the licence of Rainbow Event Centre for the singular offence of hosting the African Democratic Congress convention slated for today, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, is a shameful and cowardly abuse of public office,” he said.
Abubakar added that denying an opposition party access to a venue undermines democratic principles.
“Let it be said without equivocation: coercing a private business owner to deny a lawfully registered opposition party the use of a venue is not governance,” he said.
“It is not politics. It is the naked conduct of a regime that has lost the argument, lost the people, and now reaches for the boot because it has nothing else left.
“The ADC has paid every fee. The ADC has signed every contract. The ADC has broken no law.
“Our only offence is that we are organising, we are growing, and we are preparing to retire this failed government at the ballot box in 2027.”
Abubakar warned that such actions could weaken democratic institutions.
“This is how democracies are strangled, not in a single dramatic blow, but in a thousand petty, vindictive acts against opposition parties, against free assembly, and against the sacred right of citizens to choose their own leaders,” he said.
“To the international community, and every democratic partner of Nigeria: take note of what is being done here tonight, and in whose name.”
He said the party would proceed with its convention.
“We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced. We will not bow to this creeping tyranny, and we will never bow to the petty tyrants behind it,” he added.
“The convention will hold. The ADC will rise. And Nigeria will rise with it.”
Eagle Square controversy
On Monday, the ADC said it was denied access to Eagle Square and the Moshood Abiola National Stadium for its convention.
The party said it had written to Wike’s office seeking permission to use Eagle Square, adding that although the letter was acknowledged, no official response was received.
In response, Lere Olayinka said the ADC had applied to the wrong office.
“I saw a letter… the David Mark faction of ADC claimed they wrote to the FCT Minister, on April 7, 2026,” Olayinka said.
“Is office of the FCT Minister in charge of Eagle Square? The answer is NO. It is the Abuja Investments Company Limited.
“But as usual, they won’t know who exactly to apply through because they aren’t serious about anything.
“Also, how do you write a letter, seeking the use of a venue SEVEN DAYS to a National Convention, when you are to give INEC 21 Days notice, stating DATE, VENUE and TIME?”
The ADC has repeatedly accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of interference and alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been meddling in its affairs following the derecognition of factional leaderships based on a court ruling.