The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that Nigeria’s 2027 general elections may be thrown into jeopardy if the country fails to curb electoral fraud, violence, and widespread irregularities allegedly orchestrated under the current administration.
The party, in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, attributed its poor performance in Saturday’s by-elections across parts of the country to what it described as “violence, vote buying and collusion of state actors” during the polls.
Abdullahi said reports from several states painted a disturbing picture of ballot box snatching, voter intimidation, and large-scale disruptions that led to the cancellation of results in multiple polling units.
He noted that nearly 300 suspected thugs were arrested nationwide, underscoring what he called the “militarisation of the electoral process.”
The ADC further alleged brazen vote buying, citing the case of a suspect arrested in Kaduna with ₦25.9 million cash believed to be meant for compromising voters.
It also accused some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conniving with politicians to manipulate outcomes.
Beyond the violence and inducements, Abdullahi expressed concern over the reported failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in several locations, warning that the lapses raised serious doubts about INEC’s readiness and impartiality ahead of 2027.
“These by-elections were supposed to be a test run for 2027,” Abdullahi said.
“If violence, vote buying, intimidation, and collusion with security agencies are allowed to become the new normal, then Nigerians and the international community must brace for a deeper democratic crisis.”
The party urged President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to demonstrate commitment to electoral integrity, while calling on INEC to embark on urgent reforms to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
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