The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Bola Tinubu-led authorities of trying to destabilise the occasion following the defection of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
In an announcement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, nationwide publicity secretary of the occasion, alleged that there was stress on Joash Ojo Amupitan, chairman of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), to intrude within the management construction of the occasion.
Abdullahi stated a letter dated March 28 by some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), purportedly representing an expelled member of the occasion, was getting used to push INEC to invalidate the occasion’s actions earlier than the courts rule on the matter.
A part of the assertion learn: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has noticed a coordinated try to stress the chairman of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), and destabilise the David Mark-led management of the occasion.
“The choice of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to hitch our occasion has understandably despatched jitters by means of the ruling occasion.
“Since then, high officers inside the federal authorities have renewed their onslaught in opposition to our occasion, in a bid to discourage different high-profile figures.”
Abdullahi stated the dispute is linked to a authorized matter which, in response to him, is now being pushed past the courtroom.
“In a letter dated March 28, 2026, a staff of senior advocates of Nigeria is asking INEC to implement a curious and peculiar interpretation of a court docket of attraction ruling relating to what constitutes ‘establishment ante bellum’,” he stated.
He added that the attorneys allegedly threatened the INEC chairman with arrest if their calls for weren’t met inside seven days.
“They need INEC to invalidate occasion conferences, take away recognised officers, and hand over the affairs of the occasion to a particular particular person, although the case itself has not been absolutely determined by the courts.
“Clearly, what the authors of this vexatious letter are trying to do is to stress INEC to take sides and grant them what no court docket in Nigeria has granted,” he acknowledged.
Abdullahi stated Nafiu Bala Gombe, who’s contesting the management of the occasion, was by no means the nationwide chairman of the ADC.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, who’s claiming to be aggrieved over the ADC management, was by no means the chairman of the ADC,” he stated.
He added that Gombe had earlier resigned alongside different members of the nationwide working committee and was later expelled from the occasion.
“Subsequently, any try to recreate a ‘establishment’ that upgrades his place to nationwide chairman of the ADC at any cut-off date is, at greatest, fictitious,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC spokesperson stated the event displays a convergence of authorized stress and political pursuits.
He additional stated: “What we’re witnessing is a convergence of authorized stress and political intent by a ruling occasion that’s unsettled by the rising attraction of the ADC.
“No quantity of stress, no manufactured confusion, and no distortion of authorized processes will cease what’s already in movement. The ADC is rising. Nigerians are becoming a member of. A reputable opposition is taking form.
“We name on INEC to stay guided by the Structure, resist all types of stress, and uphold its obligation as an neutral umpire. That is greater than the ADC. It’s about whether or not Nigerians can freely select a unique path.”