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ADC Rejects INEC’s Revised Poll Schedule, Alleges Plot to Edge Out Opposition

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) yesterday rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) updated 2026–2027 electoral timetable, alleging that it contains booby-traps that could aid President Bola Tinubu’s plot to be returned unopposed in 2027.

Agreeing with the opposition coalition, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain who has thrown his hat into the ring to challenge Tinubu in 2027, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, insisted that the revised timetable favours the ruling party.

Lending his voice to the issue, another PDP chieftain, Chief Bode George, warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC to desist from cheating and any form of malpractice during the election.

Also, civil society organisations (CSOs) called for concern for the elections to go beyond the new dates and focus on how the action can lead to a credible election based.

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However, human rights and electoral Advocates, Yiaga Africa backed INEC on the new dates, pointing out that the electoral body did the right thing by picking new dates for a seamless conduct of elections.

Specifically, the ADC flagged the new compliance requirements under Sections 77 and 82 of the Electoral Act 2026, which unfairly burden opposition parties while giving undue advantage to the ruling party.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the requirement for political parties to submit a comprehensive digital membership register by April 2, 2026, ahead of primaries scheduled between 23 April and 30 May 2026, creates a near-impossible hurdle that could exclude other parties from fielding candidates.

The ADC contended that with this requirement, among others contained in what it termed as obnoxious Electoral Act 2026, “the so-called reform has effectively become an instrument of exclusion to clear the field for President Tinubu.”

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According to Abdullahi, ”What has been presented as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming general elections is in fact, a political instrument carefully structured to narrow democratic space and strengthen the hand of the incumbent administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

”According to the timetable, party primaries are to be conducted between 23 April and 30 May 2026, just 55 to 92 days from today.

“However; what is more significant is that pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than 2 April 2026.

”That is only 34 days away. Section 77(7) further provides that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated time “shall not be eligible to field a candidate for that election.”

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It further stated: “These are not house-keeping rules. They are deliberately constructed barriers to exclude opposition from partaking in the coming election.

”It is significant to note also that Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 prescribes that the digital register of members must contain their name, sex, date of birth, address, state, local government, ward, polling unit, National Identification Number (NIN), and photograph in both hard and soft copies, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of any pre-existing register other than the one that contains the specific information above.

“According to this law, failure to meet these requirements would result in disqualification,” Abdullahi stated.
He said, ”what makes this requirement of digital membership particularly insidious is that the ruling party had commenced the process of this registration since February 2025, long before it became a requirement of the law.
“This is not a product of foresight, but insider knowledge.

They knew what was coming. They therefore had one whole year to carry out an exercise that they expect other political parties to execute in one month, during which they must collect, process and collate vast digital data and transmit same to INEC by the deadline under the threat of total exclusion. This is more or less a practical impossibility.

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”Democratic competition is based on a level-playing field that does not give any advantage to the contestants.
“A system where one party takes advantage of incumbency to give itself a one-year head-start on a requirement that other parties only became aware of when it is almost too late is a rigged and corrupt system,” he added.
“ADC will not do anything that will appear to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We are reviewing our options, and will make this known in the coming days.

”We call on civil society, democratic stakeholders, and patriotic Nigerians across party lines to scrutinise this timetable and join us in demanding fairness, because no democracy can endure if the rules that govern it are written to suit pre-determined outcomes”, the ADC spokesman stated further.

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Opposition leaders, Obi, Atiku, Makinde, others set to meet August 18 ahead 2027 polls

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Opposition leaders, ex- Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, are expected to meet in Abuja on August 18 as efforts intensify to forge a united front ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The planned meeting is being facilitated by the G100, a coalition of concerned Nigerians, which said it had concluded an initial round of consultations with leaders of six opposition political parties as part of efforts to build a stronger opposition alliance. In a statement on Monday signed by Salihu Moh.

Lukman on behalf of the G100, the group said it had engaged leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

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The consultations involved national chairmen, presidential candidates and running mates of the parties

According to the group, the discussions were “frank, constructive and encouraging”, with the parties recognising the need for greater cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The G100 said it deliberately kept the consultations away from the media to allow the various parties to discuss sensitive issues without the pressure of public scrutiny.

“We have deliberately kept these consultations away from the glare of the media, in recognition of the sensitivity of many of the discussions and the need to allow party leaders to engage frankly and constructively without the pressure of premature public commentary,” the statement said. It added that the discussions had shown a growing recognition among opposition parties that achieving a credible alternative to the ruling party would require compromise, sacrifice and a willingness to put national interests ahead of individual and partisan ambitions.

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Opposition Summit As part of the next phase of the process, the G100 announced that a Summit of Opposition Parties would hold in Abuja on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

The summit is expected to provide a platform for the parties to begin discussions on the modalities for greater cooperation and possible opposition unity ahead of the 2027 election.

The group, however, said it would not dictate the outcome of the discussions or impose any particular arrangement on the parties.

The G100 does not presume to dictate the outcome of these conversations. Our role is to facilitate dialogue, build confidence and help create the conditions in which the participating political parties can openly consider the difficult questions of cooperation, sacrifice, accommodation and collective action,” it said.

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The coalition stressed that any agreement reached must take into account the legitimate interests of the participating parties while placing the interests of Nigerians above political calculations.

According to the G100, opposition fragmentation could undermine efforts to provide voters with a credible alternative to the ruling party. It argued that a strong democracy requires citizens to have access to a viable political alternative capable of competing effectively for their votes. “The consultations of the past week represent only the beginning. The task ahead will require patience, courage and, above all, sacrifice,” the group said.

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PIGD Warns Plateau Politicians Against Sentiment-Driven Campaigns

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The Plateau Initiative for Growth and Development has urged the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Chief Kefas Ropshik Kefiano, to present a detailed development agenda instead of centring his campaign on a pledge to serve only one term.

PIGD made the call in a Monday statement by its National Coordinator, Nengak David, who said the pledge raised questions about the candidate’s priorities and campaign commitments built around zoning.
According to the group, Plateau voters deserve explanations of how Kefiano intends to address insecurity, unemployment, infrastructure, agriculture, education and healthcare.

“The people need to hear what Chief Kefiano will do with power, not merely how long he says he will hold it,” David said. “A one-term pledge cannot substitute for a practical programme showing how the state will be governed and developed.”
PIGD urged Kefiano to explain policies, timelines and measurable targets, allowing voters to assess him on competence and character rather than zonal sentiment.

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The organisation also questioned why the electorate should accept the pledge without scrutiny, drawing a comparison with Kefiano’s career in business.

“Chief Kefiano is a businessman who has never publicly declared that he intends to stop making money,” the statement said. “Why, then, should Plateau citizens simply believe that a politician who wins power will willingly surrender it after one term? Such a promise requires more than words; it requires convincing guarantees and demonstrable sincerity.”
The group stressed that its intervention was not directed solely at Kefiano or the PDP, but at candidates and parties across Plateau State.
“We call on politicians, irrespective of party affiliation, to speak honestly to the people,” David said. “Campaigns must be driven by truth, realistic promises and a genuine commitment to service. Plateau has suffered enough from convenient declarations that disappear once elections are over.”
PIGD advised residents to interrogate campaign pledges and demand issue-based engagements from candidates ahead of the election.
“Democracy becomes stronger when citizens refuse to be carried away by sentiment,” it added. “Every candidate must tell Plateau people what will be done, how it will be done and how the public can hold the government accountable.”

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Guber Election: Osun APC Accuses Davido of Distributing Money to Residents

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The Head of Media and Publicity of the Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye, has urged residents of Osun State to assess Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, based on his performance as Chairman of the Osun State Sports Trust Fund and his contributions to governance rather than his campaign appearances.

Omowaiye made the remarks during a broadcast on News Central TV while reacting to Davido’s participation in campaign activities for his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

He alleged that the singer only becomes politically active during election periods, accusing him of distributing money to residents and taking advantage of what he described as their vulnerability. He, however, maintained that voters in the state are now more interested in governance and service delivery than celebrity endorsements.

The APC campaign spokesman alleged that Osun State University is now the most expensive government-owned university in Nigeria and questioned whether Davido had used his influence to advocate a reduction in tuition fees. He also claimed that some students of the University of Ilesa pay as much as N1.5 million in school fees.

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Omowaiye said the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, had pledged to reduce tuition fees if elected and questioned whether Davido would encourage students to support that promise.

He also criticised Davido’s performance as Chairman of the Osun State Sports Trust Fund, alleging that Osun has no functional government-owned stadium despite his appointment.

According to him, the state’s male and female football clubs were relegated during Davido’s tenure as chairman, adding that the singer had not made any meaningful contribution to sports development in the state.

Omowaiye further accused the Adeleke family of concentrating public appointments among relatives instead of creating opportunities for young people across Osun State.

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He claimed that Davido serves as Chairman of the Osun State Sports Trust Fund, while his brother, Tunji Adeleke Jr., was appointed Chairman of the Osun State Local Government Service Commission at the age of 31. He also alleged that another member of the family serves as Senior Special Assistant on Tourism.

The APC spokesman maintained that public offices were being recycled within the Adeleke family, arguing that while young people are mobilised during campaigns, they are allegedly excluded from government appointments and other opportunities.

He also questioned Davido’s silence on what he described as major governance issues in the state, including education, healthcare, road infrastructure, electricity reforms and the alleged payment of N13.7 billion to ghost workers.

Omowaiye argued that Davido had not publicly challenged the state government over the condition of schools, hospitals, roads or other public services, despite his closeness to the governor.

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He insisted that the people of Osun would not be influenced by celebrity status during the election, maintaining that they would vote based on governance, competence and performance.

The APC spokesman also referred to comments credited to Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who reportedly advised Davido to prepare to employ Governor Ademola Adeleke as a dancer if he loses the August 15 governorship election.

Omowaiye’s remarks came after Davido joined Governor Adeleke at a campaign rally in Osun as political activities intensified ahead of the governorship poll.

The singer arrived in the state on Thursday, August 6, and has actively participated in campaign activities in support of his uncle’s re-election bid.

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Videos from the rally showed Davido moving through a large crowd alongside the governor’s son, Sina Adeleke, popularly known as Shina Rambo, before both climbed over a barricade to join Governor Adeleke on the campaign stage, where they danced with supporters.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Davido nor the Osun State Government had responded to the allegations made by Omowaiye.

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