The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the conduct of Saturday’s by-elections, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of failing to ensure credible polls.
In a statement on Sunday, Bolaji Abdullahi, interim national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the elections held across 16 constituencies in 12 states were marred by violence, vote buying, and manipulation.
According to Abdullahi, the process was not just flawed but also exposed deeper threats to Nigeria’s democratic future. He described the exercise as a “dress rehearsal for 2027” that revealed how compromised the electoral system had become.
“The by-elections are not a reflection of the strength or weakness of opposition parties,” Abdullahi said. “Rather, they show how much the system has been corrupted against the will of the people.”
The ADC noted that it did not field candidates in most of the constituencies but insisted that the irregularities observed must be investigated. Abdullahi urged INEC to hold accountable officials found guilty of undermining the process.
He further challenged President Bola Tinubu to put national interest above politics and guarantee Nigerians the right to vote freely and safely.
“What Nigerians witnessed on Saturday is yet another reminder that democracy, like the economy and security, continues to deteriorate under the current administration,” the party said.
The ADC also called on the international community not to ignore what it described as “a brazen subversion of democratic norms,” warning that silence would only embolden perpetrators of electoral malpractice.
“Nigeria is too important to Africa and the world to allow its democracy to collapse under the weight of impunity,” Abdullahi added.
