Atiku Abubakar Joins Obi, Kwankwaso, Amaechi, Tambuwal, Others in ADC Protest Against INEC in Abuja

Leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and several senior political figures on Wednesday gathered in Abuja to protest the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) handling of the party’s internal leadership dispute.

The demonstration, which converged around Maitama where the INEC headquarters is located, drew prominent opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, and Aminu Tambuwal, alongside ADC stakeholders and supporters.

The protest centres on INEC’s recent action regarding the party’s leadership records, particularly the removal of the names of former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola from its official portal. INEC said the step followed ongoing court proceedings over the party’s disputed leadership structure.

In a statement cited by the commission, INEC explained that it acted to comply with a Court of Appeal directive ordering parties to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the case before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The commission added that it would not recognise any faction of the party until judicial clarity is reached.

The situation escalated after conflicting submissions from different factions within the ADC, each urging INEC to recognise their preferred leadership. One group warned against acknowledging an interim chairman, while another insisted on full implementation of the appellate court’s decision.

Ahead of the protest, Peter Obi urged supporters and Nigerians sympathetic to opposition politics to resist what he described as threats to democratic competition, calling for public resistance to the consolidation of a single-party system.

The demonstration has intensified political tension around opposition party organisation and INEC’s role in managing disputes, with protesters accusing the electoral body of overreach and bias, while INEC maintains it is acting within the limits of judicial orders.