The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of presiding over the decline of democracy in Nigeria, following Saturday’s by-elections across 16 constituencies in 12 states.
In a statement on Sunday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s interim national publicity secretary, described the polls as “riddled with widely reported violence, vote buying, manipulation, and other administrative lapses,” adding that the exercise was “a dress rehearsal for 2027.”
Abdullahi said the outcome of the by-elections should not be seen as a measure of opposition strength but “a sad reflection of how far the system has been corrupted against the will of the people.” He noted that although the ADC did not field candidates in most constituencies, the conduct of the polls undermined the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The ADC spokesperson urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the “brazen and reckless irregularities” and sanction any compromised officials. He also challenged President Tinubu “to rise above his partisan interest and, for once, demonstrate genuine leadership by ensuring that Nigerians can cast their votes freely and safely.”
“What Nigerians witnessed in yesterday’s by-elections is yet another reminder that under the current administration, democracy itself just like the economy and our national security continues to decline under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC,” Abdullahi said.
He further warned that when elections are marred by violence, open vote trading, and unexplained exclusion of opposition candidates, “the vote of the ordinary Nigerian ceases to have meaning.”
The ADC also called on international partners and election observers not to remain silent. “Silence in the face of such brazen subversion of democratic norms will only embolden those who profit from this chaos. Nigeria is too important to Africa and the world to allow its democracy to collapse under the weight of complicit impunity,” the statement added.
