The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concerns over the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) ability to protect votes in the upcoming 2027 general elections. According to Bolaji Abdullahi, the party's National Publicity Secretary, the party no longer trusts INEC to safeguard its votes. This statement was made during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today.
Abdullahi cited INEC's technical failures in the 2023 election as a reason for the party's distrust. He recalled that during the 2023 election, INEC had promised to automatically transmit results to the IReV portal, but technical glitches prevented this from happening. As a result, the party is now making arrangements to collate its own votes. Abdullahi emphasized that the party will vigilantly guard its votes and protect them.
The ADC party's decision to take matters into its own hands is rooted in its past experiences with INEC. Abdullahi, who ran for Senate in the 2023 election, noted that many candidates, including himself, had trusted INEC's promise of automatic result transmission. However, the technical failures that occurred during the election have made the party cautious.
Abdullahi stated that if the results at the end of the day reflect the true votes from the polling units, the party will accept them. However, if the results do not match, the party will not accept them. This stance is a clear indication of the party's determination to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
The ADC party's concerns over INEC's capabilities have been raised at a time when preparations for the 2027 general elections are underway. The party's decision to collate its own votes may be seen as a move to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process. It remains to be seen how INEC will respond to these concerns.
The development has sparked mixed reactions from various stakeholders, with some calling for INEC to address the concerns of the ADC party. Others have argued that the party's decision to collate its own votes may undermine the electoral process. The situation is being closely monitored by various interest groups and stakeholders.
As the 2027 general elections approach, the ADC party's stance on INEC's vote protection capabilities is likely to be a major issue of discussion. The party's determination to protect its votes and ensure the integrity of the electoral process is clear. The outcome of this development remains to be seen.
Key points
- ADC party expresses distrust in INEC's ability to protect votes ahead of 2027 elections
- Party cites INEC's technical failures in 2023 election as reason for distrust
- ADC party to collate its own votes to ensure integrity of electoral process
