By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Prominent members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; and the National Chairman of the ADC and former Senate President, David Mark, joined a large demonstration in Abuja, tagged #OccupyINEC.
The protesters gathered at Maitama Roundabout on Wednesday, April 8, carrying placards with various inscriptions.
Other leaders of the ADC who joined in the protest were former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; and Senator Dino Melaye.
While addressing the demonstrators, Amaechi accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of schemes to undermine the participation of other parties in the 2027 general election by refusing to allow the registration of new political parties.
He added that the opposition party was determined to chase the All Progressives Congress (APC) out of power the same way the ruling party chased the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power in 2015.
Obi, while speaking on behalf of ADC members and other opposition leaders, urged Nigerians to defend the country’s democracy by standing against an alleged plot to turn the nation into a one-party state.
In a tweet on his official X handle, Obi wrote, “We, members and leaders of the ADC, and other well-meaning Nigerians, lovers of democracy, are saying that our democracy must not be killed.
“We say NO to a one-party system, and for that, today we’re calling out Nigerians who believe in unity, peace, and security of our country to join us as we defend democracy in our land.”
Atiku Abubakar wrote on his official X handle that he and other leaders of the ADC are protesting what he described as INEC’s partisanship.
He wrote, “Myself and other leaders of the ADC are peacefully protesting against the partisanship of the electoral umpire. Our patriotic stance is aimed at safeguarding our democracy and preventing the enthronement of a dictatorship.”
The protest follows the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to derecognise the factions of the ADC led by Senator David Mark or Nafiu Bala after a Court of Appeal judgement on the party’s leadership dispute, adding that it would no longer accept correspondence from the party pending the determination of the case.
The ADC and other opposition groups described the move as a restriction on party autonomy and an interference with internal party affairs.
The party added that INEC’s action is an alleged plot to prevent it from fielding candidates in the 2027 general election, noting that the electoral body’s decision was orchestrated to create obstacles that would ultimately exclude it from the electoral process.
