The African Democratic Congress has announced plans to document, collate, and publish polling-unit results during the 2027 general elections. This move comes despite a warning from the Independent National Electoral Commission against the publication of privately collated election results. The ADC's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, released a statement outlining the party's position.
The ADC recognises INEC's legal authority to make official declarations and announce election winners. However, the party argues that this does not prevent political parties, election agents, and citizens from independently recording and sharing information from polling units. The party's planned collation of results is protected by the constitutional right to freedom of expression and access to information.
The ADC plans to record results announced at individual polling units through its polling agents. The party's structures will then collate and verify the figures before making them available to the public. The ADC will share its collated results with the public, clearly identifying their source and status.
The presidency has predicted a wide victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communications, claimed that the margin of victory would be unexpectedly large. Bwala made this prediction during an interview on Channels Television.
Bwala pointed to the number of governors supporting Tinubu, arguing that governors control significant political structures in their states and can influence the outcome of the 2027 election. He also highlighted the performance of Tinubu's administration and the number of Nigerians who have benefited from its policies.
The ADC stressed that its decision to publish its figures would not amount to assuming INEC's statutory responsibility to declare official election results. The party maintains that its actions are within its constitutional rights and do not undermine INEC's authority.
The ADC's decision to publish its election results has sparked controversy, with INEC warning against privately collated results. The presidency's prediction of a wide victory for Tinubu has also generated interest, with Bwala citing data to support his claim. The 2027 election is expected to be closely watched, with various political parties vying for power.
Key points
- The African Democratic Congress plans to document and share 2027 election results despite INEC's warning.
- The presidency predicts a wide victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
- The ADC's actions are protected by the constitutional right to freedom of expression and access to information.
