ADC accuses INEC of self-sabotage

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of deliberately sabotaging itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that INEC alleged repeated failures is undermining its credibility, as well as raising suspicions of a calculated scheme to extend the dates for the 2027 general elections.

The opposition party noted that despite repeated denials by the Federal Government that there are no plans to alter the dates of the 2027 polls, recent revelations that INEC’s voters’ register contains AI-generated photographs and fictitious entries, give serious cause for concern.

It stated that the Commission’s admission that some of its registration officers were responsible for introducing the irregularities is particularly worrisome.

According to the party, “If INEC knows that its own officials compromised the voters’ register with AI-generated photographs, why has nobody been arrested? Why have these individuals not been handed over for prosecution? What exactly is INEC waiting for?”

Furthermore, the ADC condemned INEC’s failure to publish the preliminary voters’ register online within the statutory timeframe stipulated by Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires the register to be made available for public scrutiny not later than 90 days before the general election.

It noted that Section 19(5) expressly makes failure by an INEC official to comply with the publication requirement a criminal offence, which is punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both.

The opposition party warned that INEC’s conduct raises legitimate concerns about its willingness to comply with other mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act on Election Day that could make the election credible.

“We are beginning to wonder whether INEC is intentionally trying to make itself incompetent. Because how else do you explain an electoral umpire that had at least three years to prepare for elections, but is suddenly unable or unwilling to produce a credible voters’ register in accordance with the strict requirements of the law? At what point should we stop seeing these repeated failures by INEC as sheer incompetence and start to view them as deliberate acts of sabotage,” Abdullahi asked.