2027: ADC rejects revised INEC schedule, says it’s designed for Tinubu’s re‑election

The African Democratic Congress has rejected the revised 2026–2027 common election timetable launched by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, describing it as a politically biased schedule designed to favour the re-election agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

The ADC, in a press release by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday argued that the brand new deadlines and compliance necessities beneath the Electoral Act 2026 create near-impossible hurdles for opposition events looking for to subject candidates.

On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the 2027 Presidential and Nationwide Meeting elections for February 20, 2027, whereas the Governorship and State Homes of Meeting elections have been mounted for March 6, 2027.

The timetable, nonetheless, confronted objections from some Muslim stakeholders who famous that the dates coincided with the 2027 Ramadan interval.

Following the issues, the Nationwide Meeting amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Modification Invoice, decreasing the required election discover interval from 360 to 300 days, permitting INEC to regulate the election dates.

Subsequently, INEC launched a revised schedule on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, shifting the Presidential and Nationwide Meeting elections to January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Homes of Meeting elections to February 6, 2027.

Reacting, the ADC stated the requirement that political events submit a complete digital membership register by April 2, 2026, successfully bars opposition events from collaborating.

The occasion said: “The African Democratic Congress rejects the up to date 2026–2027 electoral timetable launched by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee. What has been introduced as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming common elections is, in actual fact, a political instrument fastidiously structured to slender democratic house and strengthen the incumbent administration forward of the 2027 common elections.

“In keeping with the timetable, occasion primaries are to be carried out between April 23 and Might 30, 2026, simply 55 to 92 days from at the moment. Nevertheless, extra important is that, pursuant to Part 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political events are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than April 2, 2026.

“That’s solely about 34 days away. Part 77(7) additional gives that any occasion that fails to submit its membership register throughout the stipulated time shall not be eligible to subject a candidate. These are usually not routine administrative guidelines however are intentionally constructed limitations designed to exclude the opposition from collaborating within the election.”

The occasion additional famous that Part 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires the digital register of members to include identify, intercourse, date of delivery, deal with, state, native authorities, ward, polling unit, Nationwide Identification Quantity (NIN) and {photograph} in each laborious and mushy copies, whereas Part 77(6) prohibits the usage of any pre-existing register that doesn’t include the desired data. It warned that failure to satisfy these necessities would result in disqualification.

The ADC questioned the equity of the digital membership requirement, noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress started its registration course of in February 2025, lengthy earlier than the requirement turned necessary.

“It isn’t a product of foresight however insider benefit. They knew what was coming. They subsequently had one full yr to hold out an train that different political events are anticipated to finish in a single month, throughout which they need to gather, course of, collate and transmit massive volumes of digital knowledge to INEC beneath the specter of exclusion. That is virtually unattainable.

“Democratic competitors relies on a degree enjoying subject that doesn’t give any contestant an undue benefit. A system the place one occasion exploits incumbency to achieve a one-year head begin on a requirement that different events solely turned conscious of when it was practically too late is a rigged system.”

The ADC stated it has joined different opposition events in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026, including that the INEC timetable is equally rejected because it seems designed to serve what it described as a self-succession agenda.

“Let it’s clear that ADC won’t take any motion that seems to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We’re reviewing our choices and can make our place recognized within the coming days,” the occasion stated.

The occasion additionally known as on civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians to scrutinise the timetable and demand equity, stressing that democracy can’t survive when electoral guidelines are structured to provide predetermined outcomes.