The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has raised concerns over an alleged plot to postpone the January 16, 2027 presidential election, warning against the possible use of the Ebola outbreak as a justification for changing the electoral timetable.
The council, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, alleged that President Bola Tinubu could summon the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, to the Presidential Villa to pressure him into shifting the election date.
However, the council did not provide evidence to support the allegation or establish that such a meeting had been scheduled.
It urged Amupitan to resist any attempt to alter the timetable, insisting that the date of the election should not be changed through private political arrangements.
“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the statement said.
The opposition campaign council challenged Tinubu to seek re-election through the ballot box, arguing that the President should not benefit from any postponement that could extend his time in office.
It also cited the economic difficulties experienced by Nigerians, including rising prices and declining purchasing power, as reasons voters should be allowed to assess the administration’s performance at the scheduled poll.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the Ebola threat, the ADC council cautioned against using a public health emergency as a political excuse to delay the election. It called on health authorities and INEC to take necessary precautions to protect voters and election officials.
The council further urged domestic and international election observers to scrutinise any proposal to change the timetable, insisting that such a decision must be backed by credible public health evidence and subjected to public scrutiny.
“The presidency must not use a health emergency to escape an electoral verdict,” it added.
The statement did not establish that Tinubu had summoned the INEC chairman or that the commission had received a formal request to postpone the election. Neither the Presidency nor INEC was quoted as responding to the allegation in the report.
Source: PUNCH
