The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised alarm over the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) refusal to accept its official communications, warning that the move could disqualify the party from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that INEC's decision undermines its ability to meet mandatory deadlines, including a 21-day notice requirement and a May 10 cut-off for submissions. ADC claims INEC previously recognised its leadership structure, citing certified records, attendance logs, and a sworn affidavit that reflect Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary. The party confirmed INEC attended its National Executive Committee meeting on July 29, 2025, and later updated its internal records to reflect the new leadership. Despite this, INEC has declined all correspondence pending the outcome of a Federal High Court ruling on a leadership dispute within the party. ADC argues that this stance creates "artificial non-compliance" with electoral timelines, potentially barring it from the ballot. The party urged INEC to resume engagement and uphold fairness in line with its constitutional role.
INEC's refusal to accept ADC's filings—despite its own records validating the party's leadership—puts a legally compliant political party at risk of exclusion. Senator David Mark's position as recognised chairman by INEC's past actions makes the current blockade difficult to justify. If a party meeting all documented requirements can still be sidelined, the integrity of the electoral timeline becomes questionable. Nigerian voters may end up with fewer choices not due to internal party failure, but administrative inaction.
