The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of pressuring the owner of Rainbow Event Centre to cancel the party's convention, despite a signed agreement and full payment. A statement released on the eve of the event claimed the venue management was threatened with revocation of its operational licence if it hosted the ADC gathering. The party said it had completed all necessary arrangements and affirmed its intention to hold the convention as scheduled at the Rainbow Event Centre. "We have already signed a contract with him. We will hold our convention tomorrow as planned," the statement read. The ADC described the alleged interference as an attempt to suppress democratic expression, using the phrase "creeping tyranny" to characterise the actions attributed to the FCT administration. It also made a direct reference to a "petty tyrant," widely interpreted as a jab at Minister Wike. The party previously disclosed unsuccessful attempts to secure Moshood Abiola Stadium and Eagle Square in Abuja for the event. As of the latest update, neither the FCDA nor the office of the FCT Minister had responded publicly to the allegations.
Nyesom Wike, as FCT Minister, now faces fresh scrutiny over the ADC's claim that his office interfered in a private contractual agreement involving Rainbow Event Centre. The allegation that venue operators were threatened with licence revocation to scuttle a political event raises serious questions about the space for opposition activity in the nation's capital. This is not just about one party's convention—it strikes at the credibility of public institutions meant to operate impartially.
The ADC's failed attempts to use Moshood Abiola Stadium and Eagle Square before settling on a private venue suggest a pattern of restricted access to major public spaces for non-ruling parties. That the party had to rely on a private facility despite fulfilling payment and contractual obligations underscores the uneven terrain of Nigerian political organising. When private agreements can allegedly be overturned by administrative pressure, the principle of rule of law becomes negotiable.
Ordinary Nigerians who support opposition parties now have reason to question whether their constitutional rights to assembly and political expression are truly protected in Abuja. If political affiliation influences access to event spaces, especially under threat of regulatory retaliation, it weakens democratic participation. This affects not just the ADC but any group challenging the status quo.
A broader trend is emerging where control over physical and institutional space in the FCT appears increasingly politicised. The lack of immediate response from the FCDA or the Minister's office only deepens public suspicion.
