The youth arm of the African Democratic Congress has given the Independent National Electoral Commission three days to restore the party’s leadership structure or face mass protests across the country.
ADC National Youth Leader Balarabe Rufa’i made the demand on Monday, April 6, while addressing reporters at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
He accused the electoral body of overstepping its constitutional boundaries and working against democratic principles.
According to Rufa’i, Nigeria is experiencing what he called a “democratic siege,” with institutions that should protect citizens’ rights being turned into tools against them.
He explained that the current crisis began after a National Executive Committee meeting on July 29, 2025, which dissolved the existing National Working Committee and elected new leaders under David Mark.
Rufa’i said INEC had verified and officially acknowledged this development in September 2025 without any challenges at the time.
“Months later, individuals who had already resigned resurfaced to challenge a process they had no legal standing in,” he stated.
He claimed that even after the Court of Appeal directed all parties to maintain the last uncontested arrangement, INEC disregarded the directive and instead acted on motions that were still pending and communications that carried no legal weight.
The youth leader argued that INEC has no constitutional power to interpret court orders, describing the commission’s conduct as “complicity, partisanship, and institutional sabotage.”
He called for the National Assembly to investigate the matter promptly and consider sanctions that could include removing the INEC Chairman from office.
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Rufa’i also urged the judiciary to issue clearer directives to prevent what he described as manipulation of its orders, and to reassert its exclusive role in interpreting the law.
He appealed to the armed forces to stay out of the dispute, emphasizing that it was purely a civil and constitutional issue.
The ADC youth leader maintained that the leadership elected during the July 2025 meeting remains the only legitimate authority in the party and warned that any attempt to alter it before a final court decision would be invalid.
The group’s demands include immediate restoration of the David Mark-led structure on INEC’s portal, a public apology from the commission, and a pledge to uphold neutrality and respect for legal processes.
Rufa’i also cautioned the Tinubu administration against taking steps that could undermine opposition parties, saying such actions would put Nigeria’s democracy at risk.
He gave INEC 72 hours to respond, warning that failure would result in peaceful nationwide demonstrations, including occupation of INEC facilities in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“We will not retreat, we will not be intimidated, and we will not be silenced. This is bigger than ADC. This is about Nigeria,” he declared.
The ultimatum follows INEC’s recent withdrawal of recognition from the ADC leadership due to an ongoing legal dispute.
INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan had previously warned that holding congresses and conventions without the commission’s involvement could jeopardize the party’s ability to participate in the 2027 elections.