ADC Disapproves of INEC's New Election Schedule

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly rejected the newly issued electoral timetable for 2026–2027 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing it of containing "boobytraps" aimed at sidelining opposition parties and facilitating President Bola Tinubu's unchallenged re- election in the 2027 general elections.

In a statement released on Thursday, which was endorsed by Bolaji Abdullahi, the party's National Publicity Secretary, the ADC criticized the additional compliance criteria outlined in Sections 77 and 82 of the Electoral Act 2026. The party argued that these criteria unfairly burden opposition parties while granting significant advantages to the ruling party.

The ADC highlighted that INEC's timetable requires political parties to present complete digital membership lists by April 2, 2026, in preparation for party primaries set to occur between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

According to the ADC, this timetable creates virtually insurmountable barriers that could hinder opposition parties from nominating candidates.

Section 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 stipulates that any party that does not submit its membership register within the designated timeframe will be ineligible to field a candidate, a rule the ADC deems exclusionary rather than administrative.

The party further contended that the law demands extensive information for the digital register, such as personal details of members, National Identification Numbers (NIN), and photographs, while disallowing the use of any existing registers that do not meet these requirements. Noncompliance, they warned, would lead to disqualification.

The ADC alleged that the ruling party had been preparing its digital register as early as February 2025, which gives it a considerable advantage.

They claimed this practice represents a misuse of incumbency and insider favoritism, as other parties are now expected to undertake the same process in a matter of weeks.

"Democratic competition must take place on a level playing field," the statement asserted, emphasizing that a system favoring one party for an entire year is "rigged and corrupt."

The ADC announced its alignment with other opposition parties in denouncing what it referred to as a "corrupted" Electoral Act 2026 and the corresponding revised INEC timetable.

The party warned against legitimizing what it labels a fraudulent electoral framework, mentioning that it is evaluating its options and will inform the public of its next actions soon.

Additionally, the ADC urged civil society organizations, democratic actors, and Nigerians from all political backgrounds to closely examine the timetable and advocate for equity, stressing that democracy cannot thrive if electoral regulations are designed to ensure predetermined results.