2027: ADC faults INEC timetable, alleges plan to favour APC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the revised 2027 general election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as a move capable of narrowing democratic space ahead of the polls.

INEC had on Thursday announced a new timetable fixing January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections were scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The commission also set April 21 as the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers and May 30 for the conduct of party primaries. The revised schedule followed the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.

In a statement issued on Friday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that the timetable was structured to favour the ruling party and weaken opposition participation in the 2027 elections.

He argued that provisions of the Electoral Act requiring political parties to submit comprehensive digital membership registers within a limited timeframe could prevent some parties from fielding candidates.

Abdullahi cited Section 77(7) of the law, which states that parties that fail to meet the deadline for submission of membership registers would not be eligible to participate in the elections, describing the requirement as a deliberate barrier against opposition parties.

He also criticised the requirement that membership registers must contain detailed personal information including names, dates of birth, addresses, polling units, National Identification Numbers and photographs in both hard and soft copies.

According to him, the timeline makes it extremely difficult for opposition parties to compile and submit the required data before the deadline.

The ADC spokesperson further alleged that the ruling party had begun compiling its digital membership register long before the requirement became law, giving it an advantage over other parties.

He said the party had joined other opposition groups in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026 and warned that the timetable appeared designed to favour the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu.

Abdullahi added that the party would review its options and urged Nigerians and civil society organisations to scrutinise the timetable and demand fairness in the electoral process.