The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the recently concluded by-elections held across 13 states, alleging widespread irregularities including violence, voter intimidation, and electoral malpractice.
In a statement on Sunday, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the polls did not reflect the strength of the party or the broader opposition coalition, which includes prominent figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai.
“These by-elections were not a fair assessment of the opposition’s capacity,” Abdullahi stated. “They were marred by systemic manipulation and corruption.”
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) secured most of the contested seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in parts of Oyo and Adamawa, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) prevailed in Kano, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won in Anambra. The ADC, however, failed to win any seat.
The party blamed its poor showing partly on its limited participation, noting it did not field candidates in most constituencies. Nonetheless, it condemned the elections as a troubling sign for Nigeria’s democracy.
“This was not an election it was a tragedy for democratic values,” the ADC said. “The system has been rigged to silence the will of the people.”
The ADC claimed that over 300 armed thugs were arrested on election day, and that polling units were nullified due to ballot box snatching and voter intimidation.
“In one state, a vote-buyer was caught with N25.9 million in cash. In another, election officials were involved in similar corrupt practices. This isn’t isolated malpractice it’s becoming institutionalized under the APC,” the statement continued.
The party also criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for technical failures and alleged complicity, particularly in the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which reportedly malfunctioned in some states.
“If INEC cannot manage a by-election, how can it handle the general elections in 2027?”
The ADC urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize electoral integrity over party interests and called on INEC to investigate the reported irregularities and punish any compromised officials.
The party further appealed to civil society, religious leaders, and the international community to speak out against the decline in electoral standards.
“If we fail to protect the sanctity of the ballot now, we may have nothing left to defend by 2027,” the statement concluded.
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