Amid allegations of bias levelled against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), leaders of the Peoples Redemption Party and the African Democratic Congress have held a high-level strategic meeting in Abuja, bringing together top officials from both parties to deliberate on recent political developments and what they described as concerns over democratic practice in Nigeria.
The meeting was attended by the National Chairman of PRP, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, and the National Chairman of ADC, former Senate President David Mark.
Other key participants included ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, PRP National Publicity Secretary Muhammed Ishaq, and Malam Salihu Lukman, alongside other senior party officials.
The PRP expressed strong solidarity with the ADC over its ongoing dispute with the Independent National Electoral Commission and other state institutions, raising concerns over what it described as interference in democratic processes.
Addressing the gathering, Baba-Ahmed said: “My name is Hakeem Baba Ahmed, I am the National Chairman of People’s Redemption Party. I am here with my colleagues, we have decided to meet the chairman of the ADC to express our sympathy over their fortunes in the last few days, express our unhappiness over what appears to be involvement of critical state institutions in the affairs of political parties.
He added: “When we see what is happening to parties like ADC, we cannot sleep in peace, we will continue to work so that in 2027 and by the grace of God, we will give Nigerian options.”
He further stated: “At the same time, we are demanding that all inhibitions that are being placed before the ADC and other parties, that do not represent fair and legal restrictions in their operations should be removed.”
“I suspect there is a coalition on the ground but few parties are willing to step up as we are doing to say what’s wrong. If ADC has infringed any law of the country, we expect them to be treated with that infringement.”
The PRP leadership strongly condemned what it described as “assaults and anti-democratic actions” targeted at the ADC, warning that such developments undermine Nigeria’s democracy and threaten national stability.
In response, the ADC leadership expressed appreciation for the solidarity extended by the PRP, noting that it was the only political party that had openly stood with it during its current challenges.
The ADC reiterated its commitment to maintaining a cordial relationship with the PRP while prioritising national interest and democratic stability.
The meeting, both parties said, reflects a shared commitment to strengthening unity, protecting democratic institutions, and ensuring resilience within Nigeria’s political space.
This development comes as the ADC through its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, calls for the removal of the INEC leadership.
Earlier, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said it would escalate its campaign against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, announcing plans to submit petitions to foreign governments, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant institutions over allegations it described as damaging to the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.
This position was stated by its spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement issued on Saturday and seen by SaharaReporters.
Bolaji on behalf of the party also insisted that Professor Amupitan must immediately resign, alleging that recent revelations and what it called “incontrovertible digital evidence” have further undermined public trust in his neutrality as head of the electoral body.
According to the ADC, the controversy stems from “a recent revelation linking a pro-Bola Ahmed Tinubu tweet of 2023 to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Amupitan,” which it said “is not merely disturbing, it is a grave affront to the integrity of our electoral system.”
The party maintained that in any democratic system, the credibility of an electoral umpire depends not only on independence but also on public perception of impartiality, warning that anything short of that standard threatens electoral legitimacy.
