ADC to Tinubu: With 31 governors what are you still afraid of?

…Demands immediate resignation of INEC Chairman

By Latty Ibrahim/Jude Opara, Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Thursday accuses President Bola Tinubu and his all Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove its National Chairman, Sen. David Mark and National Secretary, Ra.uf Aregbesola from the Commission’s website.

Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, Chairman of the ADC, Sen. David Mark wondered why President Tinubu and his party, the APC are afraid of a free and open election despite having 31 state governors and controlling almost 90% of the legislature.

Similarly, the opposition party further expressed its loss of confidence in the leadership of INEC, with a straight call on the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan and his National Commissioners to resign without further delay.

“Right now, I speak to Nigerians at home and in diaspora. I also speak directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: with 90% of the National Assembly and over 30 of Nigeria’s 36 Governors in the APC, President Tinubu, what are you afraid of? If you are convinced that you have done well for the people who voted for you, why are you afraid of a free, fair, and transparent electoral contest? If you are indeed the democrat that you claim to be, why are you bent on destroying all opposition political parties?

“We demand the immediate resignation or sack of the INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan, and all the National Commissioners. We no longer have confidence in them. We are convinced that they are incapable of conducting any credible election”.

The former President of the Nigerian Senate further gave a historical path of how the present leadership of the ADC was formed, adding that from the first day, the party informed INEC of all their actions which culminated with the voluntary resignation of the former National Working Committee (NWC) led by Chief Ralph Nwosu.

Mark who accused INEC of trying to weaken the ADC in favour of the APC insisted that the party has not committed any offense to have warranted its delisting as a political party; adding that it will go ahead with all its programmes including the congresses slated to begin later in the month.

“We did not come to the ADC by chance. We did our due diligence. We fulfilled all the party’s constitutional requirements, as well as all wider requirements under the laws that guide the management and operation of political parties.

“In furtherance of this process, a NEC meeting was convened on July 29th, 2025, monitored by INEC officials. One of the conclusions of that NEC meeting was the dissolution of the National Working Committee of the party, and the ratification of a Caretaker Committee to take over the affairs of the party, with my humble self, David Mark, as the National Chairman; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the National Secretary; as well as others who have since been serving as officers of the party.

“In addition to witnessing this process that brought in the new leadership of the party, a formal report of these resolutions was subsequently communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On September 9th, 2025, INEC then uploaded the names of the relevant NWC members of the party, based on the NEC resolutions”.

He stated that the former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe equally resigned his position like other NWC members and his resignation transmitted to INEC.

“It is on record that Gombe resigned his position on 17th May, 2025. His resignation was also duly transmitted to INEC on the 12th of August, 2025. Regardless of his resignation, he decided to approach the courts on September 2nd, 2025, four clear months after his resignation, seeking to be recognised as the Chairman of the ADC.

“By purporting to recognizing Nafiu Bala as a faction, INEC seems to have conveniently forgotten that this individual had resigned his position, to the knowledge of INEC itself”.

However the Chairman of ADC, while asking members of the party to remain calm insisted that the party will continue with its planned programmes.

“Let us also make it clear: we are proceeding with our party programmes, because there is nothing under the law that makes INEC’s attendance, a mandatory requirement. We have duly served INEC notice, and we will proceed accordingly.

“We have our congresses starting on the 9th of April, 2026, ending with our convention on the 14th April, 2026. We have given due notice to INEC, and they have acknowledged receipt of that notice. This is what the law requires of us.

“We also call on the international community to take note of INEC’s actions of April 1st, and of the restraint we are exercising today. We urge them to recognise the clear threat to Nigeria’s democracy and stability, and to hold accountable those who are undermining the integrity of the electoral process.

“We call on Nigerians to defend our democracy. This is a defining moment. Stand firm. Speak out. Participate. Resist any attempt to impose a one-party state on Nigeria. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and together, we must protect it”.

The ADC accused President Tinubu of deliberately undermining democracy, wondering if he can rightfully claim to be one.

“Our experience in the past three years or so since President Bola Tinubu came to power has however confirmed otherwise. Democracy is only sustained by the quality of freedom that it offers and guarantees, especially the freedom to choose, the freedom to participate, and the freedom to associate. These freedoms are so critical to democracy that without them, democracy dies.

“Yet, in the past three years, we have witnessed a relentless assault on these very freedoms. The agenda is very clear, to create a situation where, in 2027, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerges as the only option left for the people, despite the widespread suffering and wanton killings going on across the country. The twin challenge of deepening poverty, and worsening security situation in the country did not just happen. They are direct consequences of the failure of this government. They know that Nigerians will not want this to continue. They know Nigerians will vote them out. This is why they would do anything to hang on to power by hook or crook.

“In the past couple of months, ADC has become the only viable opposition party left in Nigeria. But this APC government does not want any opposition. While we were fully aware of all their desperate plans, we remained confident that no level of desperation would have driven the government and the INEC to take a direct action against the ruling of the court. But we were wrong”.

Also at the briefing were; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi, former governor of Kano state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, former National Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun and the immediate past Chairman of the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, amongst others.