The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the revised 2026-2027 election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It alleged that the new time table contains “boobytraps” designed to exclude opposition parties and pave the way for President Bola Tinubu’s unopposed return in the 2027 general elections.
ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the new compliance requirements under Sections 77 and 82 of the Electoral Act 2026 imposed unfair burdens on opposition parties while conferring undue advantage on the ruling party.
INEC’s new timetable mandates political parties to submit comprehensive digital membership registers by April 2, 2026, ahead of party primaries scheduled to hold between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
But the ADC argued that this timeline created an “almost impossible hurdle” that could prevent opposition parties from fielding candidates.
It cited Section 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provided that any party that failed to submit its membership register within the stipulated period “shall not be eligible to field a candidate”.
Also, the party alleged that the ruling party had begun compiling the required digital register as far back as February 2025, giving it a significant head start
It therefore joined other opposition parties in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026 and the revised INEC timetable
ADC warned that it will not take any step that could legitimize what it calls a fraudulent electoral framework. The party is reviewing its options and will announce its next steps soon.
