…Your Woes Self-Inflicted—Presidency, APC Fire Back Amid Deepening Political Storm
By Franklin Adole
A political firestorm has erupted across Nigeria following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) controversial decision to withdraw recognition from the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), triggering opposition outrage, sharp partisan exchanges, and calls for mass protests.
Leading the charge, former Senate President David Mark, who chairs the ADC-led opposition coalition, declared that Nigeria’s democracy is under direct attack, warning that the country risks sliding into dictatorship if the trend continues.
“This attack on democracy will not stand,” Mark said at a world press conference in Abuja, accusing INEC of acting in contempt of court and aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to weaken opposition forces ahead of the 2027 elections.
At the heart of the crisis is INEC’s April 1 decision to withdraw recognition from both the Mark-led ADC leadership and a rival faction linked to Nafiu Bala, a move the opposition describes as a “manufactured crisis” aimed at destabilising what it calls the last viable opposition platform.
Mark insisted that the ADC leadership emerged through due process at a National Executive Committee meeting monitored by INEC itself, and that the commission’s latest action was a deliberate distortion of the Court of Appeal’s directive to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
According to him, INEC has effectively “invented a status quo that never existed,” leaving the party in a leadership vacuum and undermining its preparations for upcoming elections and internal congresses.
The opposition coalition further alleged that the move is part of a broader strategy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to eliminate political competition and entrench one-party dominance.
“With over 90 per cent of the National Assembly and more than 30 governors already under the APC, what is the President afraid of?” Mark asked, accusing the administration of orchestrating a systematic clampdown on opposition parties.
Echoing similar sentiments, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, delivered a scathing critique, describing the situation as a tragic irony.
“Yesterday’s defenders of democracy have become today’s destroyers,” Obi said, adding that even the era of former military ruler Sani Abacha now appears “more respectful of human rights” in comparison.
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso also joined the chorus of condemnation, accusing INEC of “brazen and unacceptable partisanship” and warning against any attempt to impose a single political choice on Nigerians.
“The electoral umpire has no right to impose a single candidacy on Africa’s largest democracy,” he said.
The outrage has spilled beyond political elites, with the Obidient Movement announcing a nationwide protest tagged #OccupyINEC, calling on Nigerians to defend democratic institutions and resist what it described as creeping authoritarianism.
In a strongly worded statement, the movement demanded the resignation of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, citing loss of public trust and alleged bias, while urging citizens to mobilise peacefully across the country.
“This is a defining moment,” the group said. “Nigeria must not become a one-party state.”
Adding to the pressure, ADC founder Ralph Nwosu described INEC’s action as “the most irresponsible and scandalous” in over two decades of party politics, insisting that the commission had monitored and validated every process that produced the current leadership.
He dismissed the claims surrounding Nafiu Bala, noting that the former party official had participated in prior engagements with INEC and was until now never a central issue.
Meanwhile, the ADC’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, revealed a surge in public support, disclosing that over 40,000 Nigerians registered to join the party within hours of the INEC announcement—an indication, he said, of growing resistance to perceived political intimidation.
But the Presidency and the APC have pushed back forcefully.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga dismissed the opposition’s claims, offering a legalistic interpretation of status quo ante bellum, arguing that it simply means reverting to the state of affairs before the disputed changes within the ADC.
According to him, the crisis stems from internal disputes within the party, including allegations that its structure was altered to serve as a vehicle for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 ambitions.
The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, went further, branding the ADC “an assembly of confused and desperate politicians” and blaming the crisis on the party’s own internal contradictions.
“It is highly irresponsible for the ADC to blame others for its self-inflicted woes,” the party said, maintaining that INEC’s decision was lawful and consistent with democratic norms.
The ruling party also questioned the opposition’s capacity to govern, arguing that a party unable to manage its internal affairs cannot be trusted with national leadership.
Despite the backlash, the ADC leadership has vowed to proceed with its scheduled congresses and national convention later this month, insisting that INEC’s presence is not a legal requirement.
Mark warned that the commission and its leadership would be held responsible for any consequences arising from the situation, while calling on the international community to take note of what he described as a “clear threat” to Nigeria’s democracy.