APC allegedly pushing INEC to sabotage us following Kwankwaso's switch to our party – ADC

African Democratic Congress, ADC, has made a startling accusation against the All Progressives Congress, APC, alleging that the party is exerting undue influence on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to interfere in its internal affairs, particularly in the wake of Rabiu Kwankwaso's defection.

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This development, according to the ADC, transcends a mere internal dispute, and instead raises profound concerns about the ability of Nigeria's electoral body to maintain its independence, especially as the country's political landscape undergoes significant shifts.

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The ADC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, issued a statement in which he accused certain figures within the ruling party of exploiting an ongoing legal dispute as a means to undermine the party's leadership.

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Specifically, the ADC claims that the pressure is connected to a letter dated March 28, written by a group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, who are purportedly acting on behalf of an expelled member, and are seeking to persuade INEC to act on a disputed interpretation of a Court of Appeal ruling on status quo ante bellum.

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The ADC has observed a coordinated effort to pressure INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, to destabilize the David Mark-led leadership of the party, as stated in a statement by the party.

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This development is directly linked to Kwankwaso's decision to join the ADC, which has apparently unsettled the ruling party and triggered efforts to discourage other high-profile defections, according to the party.

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The party noted that since Kwankwaso's move, top federal government officials have intensified their attacks on the ADC, aiming to deter other prominent figures from following suit, with the party stating: "The decision of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to join our party has understandably sent jitters through the ruling party."

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The letter in question even went so far as to threaten the INEC chairman with arrest if he fails to grant their request within a seven-day timeframe, a move that the ADC views as a blatant attempt to coerce INEC into taking sides and granting the authors of the letter what no court in Nigeria has granted.

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Regarding the dispute itself, the ADC has rejected claims by a former party official to its leadership, insisting that the individual neither held the position he now claims nor remains a member of the party.

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The party has categorically stated that Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is claiming to be aggrieved over the ADC leadership, was never the chairman of the ADC, and that any attempt to recreate a 'status quo' that upgrades his position to national chairman of ADC is entirely fictitious.

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The ADC has emphasized that no amount of pressure, manufactured confusion, or distortion of legal processes will halt the party's progress, stating: "No amount of pressure, no manufactured confusion, and no distortion of legal processes will stop what is already in motion."

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The party has called on INEC to remain guided by the constitution, resist all forms of pressure, and uphold its duty as an impartial umpire, emphasizing that this issue extends beyond the ADC and is about the fundamental right of Nigerians to choose a different path.