Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleged that a minister in President Bola Tinubu's administration has funded APC operatives to stage protests on Thursday. The demonstrations are reportedly aimed at pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise Ahmed Igwe as the legitimate national chairman of the ADC. Abdullahi claimed the move follows INEC's refusal to comply with earlier attempts by APC agents to interfere in the internal affairs of the opposition party. He stated the APC shifted tactics after failing to get INEC to take illegal action against the ADC following former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso's formal alignment with the party. Abdullahi described the unfolding plan as "sinister" and part of a broader effort to destabilise the ADC. No names of the alleged minister or the operatives were provided, and no evidence was presented to support the claims. INEC has not issued a statement on the matter.
A minister in Tinubu's government is accused of bankrolling political theatre aimed at undermining an opposition party's leadership. If true, it suggests state resources may be weaponised to manufacture pressure on electoral institutions. For Nigerian democracy, that normalises manipulation over legitimacy. Without proof or denial, the claim hangs in the air—damaging, but not new.
