By-Election: ADC Acknowledges Poor Showing, Blames Violence, Vote Buying, and Irregularities
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), one of Nigeria’s coalition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, has openly admitted to its poor performance in Saturday’s by-elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC attributed its disappointing results to widespread electoral irregularities, including violence, vote buying, and technical failures that marred the credibility of the polls.
According to the party, about 300 armed thugs were reportedly arrested on election day in several states, while ballot box snatching and voter intimidation disrupted polling units.
The ADC also pointed to cases of vote buying, citing the arrest of a suspect in Kaduna allegedly found with ₦25.9 million, and accused some election officials of colluding in financial inducements.
In addition, the party raised concerns about technical failures of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), questioning both the competence and impartiality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“These by-elections are a dress rehearsal for 2027. If violence, vote buying, intimidation, and collusion with security forces become the new normal, Nigerians and the international community must brace themselves,” the statement read.
The ADC further urged authorities to act swiftly to restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that credible, transparent, and fair elections are vital to sustaining democracy and protecting voter trust.
