ADC warns INEC against changing the January 16, 2027 presidential election date, demanding transparency and evidence for any proposed alteration
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against changing the scheduled January 16, 2027 presidential election date, insisting that any decision on the timetable must be transparent and open to public scrutiny.
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The council raised concerns over an alleged plan to summon INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to the Presidential Villa to pressure him into altering the election timetable, with about 80 days remaining before the poll, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The ADC urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon any move to postpone the election and called on Amupitan to reject any instruction to change the date.
It also asked the INEC chairman to publicly disclose any attempt to influence the commission’s decision.
“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the council said.
The opposition group argued that Nigerians should be allowed to determine the fate of the Tinubu administration through the ballot box after years of economic hardship, rising prices and declining purchasing power.
It maintained that postponing the election would deprive citizens of the opportunity to hold the government accountable through the democratic process.
“A government that has made life this difficult for Nigerians must not be allowed to postpone its day of judgment,” the council added.
The council also addressed concerns about Ebola, acknowledging the seriousness of the public health threat while arguing that the outbreak should not be used to justify postponing the election without sufficient evidence.
It called on health professionals to concentrate on containing the disease and urged INEC to introduce appropriate measures to protect voters and election workers during the poll.
The ADC cited the position of the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), whom it said had indicated that there was no current reason to postpone the election.
The council warned against using the public health situation as a political justification for changing the timetable or avoiding electoral accountability.
The campaign council urged domestic election observers and international monitors to closely monitor developments concerning the election timetable.
It further demanded that any proposal to change the date be made public, supported by published health evidence and subjected to public scrutiny.
The ADC’s position places the focus on transparency and the need for any alteration to the election schedule to be justified openly rather than decided through undisclosed political discussions.
However, the alleged plan to summon the INEC chairman and pressure him to change the date remains an allegation contained in the council’s statement.
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The statement does not establish that such a meeting or directive has taken place.
