The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, kept mum as the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, accused it of laying landmines to stop it from fielding candidates in the 2027 polls.

The electoral umpire was also silent on the 72-hour ultimatum given it by ADC youths to reverse its non-recognition of the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party or face nationwide protests.

This happened on a day the Media Office of Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and a leading contender for 2027, alleged a coordinated plot by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop Obi from getting on the ballot for the 2027 polls.

In a quick response, Mr Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser (Media and Communication Strategy) to  APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the ruling party has no hands in the travails of the former Anambra State governor and urged him to look elsewhere.

INEC’s landmines

to stop ADC

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that deliberate administrative landmines are being laid by INEC to prevent the party from fielding candidates in the upcoming general elections.

The party stated that at the heart of this emerging crisis is INEC’s position that it would no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC, pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court.

ADC said on its face, this might appear procedural, adding that in reality, it has created a direct and dangerous conflict with the clear timelines imposed by the Electoral Act (2026), which provides defined windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements, within which political parties must complete critical electoral processes.

The statement read: “We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent  African Democratic Congress, ADC, from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections.

“It is based on documentary evidence which we are now placing before the Nigerian public, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the commission’s own sworn affidavit. Taken together, these documents establish a clear and consistent record of events.

“INEC received formal notice of the July 29, 2025 National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the ADC. It deployed officials to monitor that meeting. It documented the proceedings and received formal reports from its field officers.

“Following this, INEC updated its internal records and uploaded the names of the new leadership, including Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.

‘’These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records.  In addition, the commission’s sworn affidavit before the Federal High Court, in its response to Nafiu Bala Gombe on September 12, 2025, particularly in Clauses 14 to 19, affirms key legal principles: that the leadership transition had already been completed and recognised, that such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference, that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction, and also recognises the David Mark-led NWC.

“Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC, pending  determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous.

“The Electoral Act imposes strict timelines on political parties, including the 21-day notice requirement and submission deadlines. INEC itself has fixed May 10 as the deadline for the submission of relevant documents. However, by refusing to receive communication from the ADC within this same period, the commission is effectively preventing the party from complying with the law.

“In simple terms, INEC is effectively threatening that unless the courts deliver judgment on the ADC leadership issue by May 10, it will prevent the ADC from producing candidates.

“This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can then be used to justify excluding the party from fielding candidates. That is the landmine.

“INEC has claimed that its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering the proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court and issuing a pronouncement with clear legal and operational consequences, the commission has itself undermined the very process it claims to protect.

“What is even more concerning is that this position contradicts INEC’s own prior conduct and legal stance. The same commission that monitored, documented, recognised, and swore to an affidavit confirming the ADC leadership is now acting in a way that contradicts its earlier position.

“We, therefore, call on the commission to immediately reverse this position, resume the acceptance of all lawful correspondence from the ADC, and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

“We also call on Nigerians to be wary and remain vigilant about these dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship on the country.”

Obi’s camp alleges plots to deny him ballot access

In like manner, the Media Office of Peter Obi, in a statement by its spokesman, Ibrahim Umar, alleged plots by the APC to stop him from being on the ballot in the 2027 presidential polls.

“This under-handed plan has been in motion since the conclusion of the 2023 election, deliberately injecting crises into Obi’s Labour Party to prevent him from securing a foothold for the election,” the statement said.

The media office pointed to the prolonged crisis in the Labour Party, arguing that it was not accidental but part of a sustained effort to weaken Obi politically, despite attempts to restore order.

“Despite Obi’s relentless efforts to restore peace within the party, government infiltrators, aided by a compromised judiciary, have consistently thwarted these attempts.

“As predicted by this scheme, when Obi left on December 31, 2025, the courts that had previously ignored the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s ruling suddenly took action on January 7, 2026, dismissing the meddlesome intrusions of Julius Abure and his faction,” the statement read.

The media office said the pressure intensified after Obi aligned with the ADC coalition.

“They pursued bizarre legislative changes that culminated in a detrimental amendment to the Electoral Act, explicitly designed to exert pressure on the ADC and undermine Obi’s presidential ambitions.

“In a desperate move, the government manipulated the Independent National Electoral Commission to reinterpret an Appeal Court ruling, leading to the delisting of the ADC’s leadership and putting Obi and other aspirants at serious risk of being denied a platform.

“They are attempting to create an illusion of democratic choice by propping up surrogates in various political parties while scheming for a one-party system in a nation of over 200 million people with rich diversity.

“We, therefore, call on all stakeholders to uphold the values of democracy, ensuring that Peter Obi has the opportunity to present his vision for Nigeria to the electorate,” it added.

We’ve no hand in Obi’s travails-Yilwatda

Pooh-poohing Obi’s allegation, Mr Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser to the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the ruling party has no hands in the travails of the former Anambra State governor and urged him and his associates to go and settle their party problems.

His words: How can Obi and his people accuse the APC of denying access to the ballot? Is he a member of the APC? Do we belong to the same party? They blame APC for every problem they have. They have been jumping from party to party and having problems in all the parties.

‘’How is that the problem of the APC? They can’t manage internal problems in their party. They should call APC to manage the problems for them.

“INEC set guidelines and rules for all the parties. It didn’t set a different rule for the APC. The APC is facing the same guidelines. They want to be president at all cost, their personal interest has beclouded their thoughts. They should go and quench the fire in their house and leave APC out of it.”

ADC youths give INEC 72 hrs, demand chairman’s removal

Meanwhile, the youth wing of the ADC has given the INEC 72 hours to reverse what it describes as unconstitutional actions of removing its chairman, warning that failure to comply would trigger nationwide civic protests.

Speaking at a briefing at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, ADC National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufa’i, accused INEC of interfering in the party’s internal affairs and overstepping its constitutional role.

“Nigeria is under democratic siege. What should have been a steady consolidation of 27 uninterrupted years of civil rule since 1999 is now being deliberately undermined by those entrusted to protect it,” he said.

The youth wing anchored its position on a NEC meeting held on July 29 2025, which it said was conducted under INEC supervision and produced a new National Working Committee, led by Senator David Mark.

According to the group, INEC initially accepted the outcome, verified the process, and officially recognised the leadership on September 9, 2025, without objection, before later reversing its position.

“There was no dispute, no objection, no ambiguity. So, what changed? Power, pressure and political interference,” Rufa’i said.

The youth wing argued that although the matter is before the courts, the Court of Appeal had ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, which it interpreted as preserving the last uncontested leadership under Mark.

“That position is clear: the leadership under Senator David Mark. Yet INEC chose to ignore established facts, disregard due process and unlawfully interpret a court order.

“INEC has no constitutional authority to interpret court orders. That duty belongs strictly to the courts.

What INEC has done is not neutrality; it is complicity, partisanship and institutional sabotage.

“We hereby issue a three-day ultimatum to INEC to immediately restore the Senator David Mark-led leadership on its official portal.

“We also demand the immediate resignation or removal of the INEC Chairman for presiding over actions that have undermined credibility of the commission,” the ADC National Youth Leader said.

They warned that failure to act within the 72-hour window would trigger coordinated nationwide protests.

“We will initiate nationwide, peaceful, and lawful civic action across all 36 states and the FCT.  ADC youths and concerned Nigerians, including civil society organisations, will lawfully occupy INEC offices nationwide and sustain civic resistance until full restoration of democratic order.

“We will not retreat, we will not be intimidated, we will not be silenced. This is bigger than ADC. This is about Nigeria,” Rufa’i said.

Addressing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the youths warned against any attempt to weaken opposition parties.

“Nigeria is not a one-party state. Any attempt to weaken opposition forces is a direct threat to democracy,” Rufa’i said.

They called on the National Assembly to urgently intervene, investigate the commission’s actions, and consider removal of the INEC chairman.

“Time is of essence. Democracy must be defended with action, not silence,” the ADC youth wing said.

They also urged the judiciary to clarify its orders to prevent misinterpretation and  reaffirm its authority as the final arbiter of the law.

At the same time, the youths cautioned against any military involvement, stressing that the issue remains strictly civil and constitutional.

“The military must remain neutral and stay away from civic democratic actions. This is a civil and constitutional matter. Nigeria must not witness any attempt to use force against lawful democratic expression,” Rufa’i said.

Don’t truncate Nigeria’s democracy, CISLAC warns INEC.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, has faulted the INEC over its handling of the ADC, warning that the development could trigger a crisis in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Rafsanjani said INEC’s alleged refusal to recognise ADC, despite timelines it earlier issued, poses a threat to the country’s multi-party democracy and the credibility of forthcoming elections.

He argued that Nigeria’s constitutional democracy requires the encouragement of political parties, not actions that could exclude them from the electoral process.

According to him, “INEC’s move has automatically created a deep crisis in our democratic consolidation and the forthcoming election. Nigeria operates a multi-party system and political parties should be encouraged to participate freely.”

He expressed concern that many opposition figures are aligning with ADC, noting that any attempt to undermine the party could raise suspicion among Nigerians.

“Nigerians will conclude that INEC has a hidden agenda. That is not good for our democracy. Political parties must be allowed to participate so citizens can choose candidates that reflect their aspirations,” he said.

Rafsanjani also described the situation as contradictory, recalling that INEC had previously recognised the same leadership it is now allegedly disputing.

He warned that such actions could worsen what he described as democratic backsliding and erode public confidence in the electoral system.

“It is a very unfortunate development capable of heating up the polity and truncating confidence in free, fair and credible elections,” he added.

The CISLAC boss, however, backed ADC’s call on INEC to halt its move, describing it as lawful and necessary to safeguard democracy.

“The call by ADC is appropriate, constitutional and in the interest of protecting the electoral process. INEC should refrain from actions that could escalate tension,” he said.

He further cautioned that the commission must avoid creating the impression that it is compromised or acting under external influence.

Rafsanjani urged INEC to focus on restoring public trust by adhering strictly to its rules and constitutional provisions.

“INEC must not truncate democracy. It should concentrate on delivering free, fair and credible elections, not actions that suggest a state-managed process,” he said.

He warned that failure to act responsibly could deepen public suspicion and damage Nigeria’s image before the international community.