Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Sokoto State Governor Senator Aminu Tambuwal have sharply criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for alleged bias and interference in opposition party affairs, as major political figures rally under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform to build momentum for the 2027 general elections.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Atiku accused INEC of deliberately misinterpreting the law and showing clear partisanship to favour President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He claimed the commission’s removal of ADC officials from its portal, despite court rulings affirming the party’s internal autonomy, amounts to an attempt to enthrone dictatorship and keep Tinubu in power beyond 2027.
“We are accusing them of, first of all, misinterpreting the law. We are also accusing them of bias… For sure, for sure,” Atiku stated. He emphasised that INEC has no business interfering in the internal affairs of political parties and warned that such actions undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy, which he helped establish after years of struggle against military rule.
The accusations come as opposition heavyweights converge on the ADC for a national convention scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Abuja. The party has nominated Atiku, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi to oversee the convention.
Former Cross River Governor Liyel Imoke chairs the 126-member Convention Planning Committee, with Tambuwal as deputy chairman. Other notable members include former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and ex-Attorney General Abubakar Malami.
The convention is expected to formally ratify Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, alongside other NWC members.
Speaking at the ADC state congresses in Sokoto on Saturday, Tambuwal urged Nigerians to rescue the country from what he described as Tinubu’s oppressive governance, marked by deepening poverty, hunger, insecurity, and economic hardship.
“Available reality shows that this administration has only been able to deliver much more insecurity, poverty, and hunger,” Tambuwal declared. He criticised the government’s alleged mismanagement of public resources and reckless borrowing, warning that such funds could be used to influence voters in 2027.
Tambuwal called for intensified grassroots mobilisation, unity, and expanded membership registration within the ADC, asserting that the 2027 election would be a direct contest between the Nigerian people and the Tinubu-led APC.
The developments reflect a growing consolidation of opposition forces under the ADC banner, positioning the party as a formidable alternative ahead of the next presidential race. Atiku, who described his role as transitional to groom younger leaders, expressed confidence that Nigerians would reject the current administration at the polls and demand free, fair elections with an impartial electoral umpire.
The ADC has meanwhile defended its recent state congresses as peaceful and in line with democratic principles, with new executives set for inauguration on May 12. The party continues to push back against INEC’s actions, insisting on its right to conduct internal affairs without external interference.
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