The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has warned that the party will not accept electoral manipulation or allow itself to be rigged out of the 2027 general elections.
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Mark issued the warning on Wednesday in Abuja when the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, paid a courtesy visit to the ADC national headquarters in Abuja.
The visit, according to Ariwoola, formed part of the Centre’s ongoing engagement with political parties and leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former Chief Justice said the Savannah Centre was committed to promoting free, fair and credible elections and urged the ADC leadership to encourage its candidates and members to comply with the rules of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He also called on the party to discourage its members from engaging in political violence before, during and after the elections.
Responding, Mark assured the delegation that the ADC would conduct its political activities within the framework of the law and uphold standards capable of strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy,” he said.
The ADC chairman said the party would comply with INEC’s guidelines as well as its internal code of conduct contained in the party’s Orange Book.
Mark, however, stressed that compliance with the rules would not mean accepting electoral manipulation or allowing the party to be unfairly deprived of victory at the polls.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out,” he said.
He assured the Savannah Centre delegation that the ADC remained committed to democratic principles and would encourage its members and candidates to conduct themselves responsibly throughout the electoral process.
Earlier, Ariwoola said the Centre’s stakeholder engagements were aimed at promoting dialogue among political actors and strengthening the credibility of the 2027 elections.
He urged political parties to place the interests of the country above partisan considerations and ensure that their activities contributed to peaceful elections.
Members of the Savannah Centre Governing Council who accompanied Ariwoola included Professors Abdullahi Shehu and Azeez Musa Dankano; the Executive Director, Ambassador Sani Bala; Mr. Tunji Lardner; and Ambassador Godswill Ighali, among others.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allegedly tilting the 2027 general elections in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress, insisting that the commission’s neutrality will be critical to the credibility of the polls.
The Council also urged INEC to prioritise the collection of Permanent Voter Cards by registered voters, arguing that registration figures would have little meaning if eligible Nigerians were unable to obtain their PVCs before election day.
The ADC-PCC made the demand in a statement on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, following INEC’s World Press Conference on Tuesday.
Ologbondiyan said the ADC presidential candidate remained prepared to participate in the 2027 election provided INEC guaranteed a free, fair, credible and violence-free process.
He urged the electoral commission to demonstrate its independence by resisting any attempt by the ruling party to influence its decisions or operations.
“Reading out figures of registration is nothing. What matters is the number of cards actually collected by Nigerians. What gives a citizen power on election day is not that his name is in a register somewhere, but that he has his PVC in his hand,” he said.
The ADC-PCC expressed concern over alleged bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays at PVC collection centres, particularly in areas regarded as opposition strongholds.
The Council warned that administrative obstacles, deliberate delays or unequal access to PVCs could disenfranchise eligible voters and undermine confidence in the 2027 elections.
“We urge INEC to be independent and not take orders from the APC. INEC must remain an unbiased umpire and not operate as an extension of the ruling party,” Ologbondiyan said.
He said the ADC would insist on strict compliance with the constitution and Electoral Act throughout the electoral process, from voter registration to the declaration of results.
“The ADC won’t allow anything short of compliance with our electoral laws. We demand full transparency, neutrality and strict adherence to due process from registration to declaration of results,” he said.
The campaign council said it was closely monitoring INEC’s activities ahead of the election, adding that Nigerians and the international democratic community were also watching the process.
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