African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the revised timetable for 2027 general elections released by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as a political arrangement designed to favour President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Gatekeepers News reports that INEC on Thursday unveiled a new election schedule, fixing January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly polls, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections were slated for February 6, 2027.
The commission also set April 21, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers, with May 30, 2026, fixed for the conduct of party primaries. The revision followed the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.
Reacting in a statement on Friday, ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said the revised timetable and the new electoral law were structured to restrict political competition and shrink democratic space ahead of the 2027 elections. He argued that the schedule places opposition parties at a serious disadvantage while offering an unfair advantage to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abdullahi pointed to Section 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, which disqualifies political parties that fail to submit their membership registers within the stipulated deadline from fielding candidates. He said the provision, combined with the short timeline, effectively threatens to shut out opposition parties from participating in the elections.
He also criticised Section 77(2), which requires political parties to submit detailed digital records of their members, including personal information such as names, photographs, addresses, and National Identification Numbers. According to him, the requirement imposes a heavy logistical burden that is nearly impossible for opposition parties to meet within the limited timeframe.
The ADC spokesperson alleged that the APC began compiling its digital membership register as early as February 2025, giving the ruling party nearly a year’s advantage before the law was enacted. He described this as evidence of insider knowledge, arguing that other parties are now being forced to complete a massive data collection exercise within weeks.
Abdullahi said the ADC had joined other opposition parties in rejecting both the Electoral Act 2026 and the revised timetable, insisting that the framework appears tailored to guarantee President Tinubu’s return to office. He added that the party is reviewing its options and would soon announce its next line of action.
He also called on Nigerians and civil society organisations to critically examine the new timetable and demand fairness, warning that democracy cannot survive where electoral rules are crafted to produce predetermined outcomes.
