Charles Esther
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has blamed its poor showing in Saturday’s by-elections on widespread violence, vote buying, and electoral irregularities, which it claims occurred under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Election Day Violence and Disruptions
In a statement released on Sunday by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the polls were marred by incidents that compromised the credibility of the elections.
The ADC alleged that in certain states, around 300 armed thugs were arrested on election day, while numerous polling units were cancelled due to ballot box snatching and voter intimidation.
Reports of Vote Buying and Bribery
The party highlighted vote buying incidents, including the arrest of a suspect in Kaduna with N25.9 million, and noted cases where election officials were implicated in inducements to voters.
BVAS Failures and INEC Criticism
ADC further raised concerns about the failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in several states, questioning the competence and sincerity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Warning Ahead of 2027 Elections
The statement concluded by cautioning that these by-elections were 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,” it read.
