The embattled Atiku Abubakar-aligned faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned against alleged attacks and intimidation of opposition members across Nigeria, accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to undermine political competition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The faction alleged that the Tinubu administration was employing intimidation, judicial manipulation, and interference with democratic institutions to secure the President’s re-election, describing the alleged developments as preparations for a coronation rather than a competitive presidential election.
In a statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of its Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC), Kola Ologbondiyan, the faction insisted that Nigerians would resist any attempt to undermine their democratic rights or impose a predetermined electoral outcome.
“One thing is now very clear to all Nigerians: Tinubu is not preparing for an election. He is preparing for a coronation,” Ologbondiyan alleged.
The accusations come as the Atiku-backed faction battles a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the emergence of the Senator David Mark-led ADC national executive and actions taken under its authority, including Atiku’s nomination as the party’s presidential candidate.
The Mark-led leadership has appealed the judgement, while the rival faction associated with Nafiu Bala Gombe continues to assert its claim to the party’s leadership.
Despite the legal uncertainty surrounding its leadership and presidential candidacy, the Atiku faction maintained that intimidation and alleged manipulation of democratic institutions would not prevent its anticipated victory in 2027.
Ologbondiyan expressed concern over reported incidents of political violence in several states, alleging that opposition parties were increasingly being targeted by individuals sympathetic to the ruling APC.
He cited the reported killing of members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Delta State following an alleged attack on the party’s campaign venue by suspected APC supporters.
The campaign spokesman also alleged that members of the ADC, NDC, and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) had experienced attacks and intimidation in Kaduna, Kogi, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto States.
“This is not politics. This is state-sponsored terror against democracy,” he declared.
However, the statement did not provide independently verifiable evidence establishing that the alleged incidents were sponsored or directed by the Federal Government or the APC leadership.
The embattled faction further accused the APC of attempting to compromise the independence of the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the presidential election.
It alleged that INEC’s voter registration database had been compromised and that individuals sympathetic to the ruling party had been appointed to sensitive positions within the electoral commission.
The faction also accused security agencies of being deployed to harass, arrest, and intimidate opposition politicians and their supporters.
Ologbondiyan specifically questioned the alleged appointment of a serving director of a security agency as co-Director of National Security and Intelligence in the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
He described the purported arrangement as a violation of the legal obligations of security personnel to remain politically neutral.
The allegations concerning INEC, the judiciary, and security agencies were not independently substantiated in the statement.
The Atiku-aligned council nevertheless maintained that alleged interference with electoral and judicial processes would not guarantee President Tinubu’s re-election.
It called on Nigerians to remain vigilant, participate actively in the democratic process, and defend their votes against any form of intimidation or manipulation.
The council also appealed to the international community, civil society organisations, religious leaders, and traditional institutions to monitor political developments in Nigeria and speak against actions capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
According to Ologbondiyan, the alleged pattern of intimidation and political violence could heighten tensions ahead of the 2027 elections if not addressed.
He urged security agencies to uphold their constitutional responsibilities and avoid involvement in partisan political activities.
“Those who allow themselves to be used as tools of oppression today will answer for their actions tomorrow,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the faction’s allegations come amid continuing uncertainty over the ADC’s leadership following the Federal High Court judgment in favour of the Nafiu Bala Gombe challenge.
The pending appeal is expected to determine important aspects of the leadership dispute, with potential implications for the validity of decisions taken by the Mark-led executive, including Atiku’s presidential nomination.
The APC and the institutions accused in the statement have not responded to the latest allegations, which remain unproven.
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