The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has stated that it will proceed with its plan to collate and share polling-unit results during the 2027 general elections. This move comes in response to a warning by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, against the publication of privately collated election results. The ADC maintains that its decision is protected by citizens' constitutional rights.
According to the ADC, its independent collation and sharing of election results do not amount to an attempt to usurp INEC's constitutional responsibility to conduct elections, declare official results, or announce winners. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, emphasized that the party is entitled to collect and disseminate information obtained through its agents and structures.
The ADC stated that it would share its collated results with the public, with its agents documenting results and its structures collating them. The party will communicate verified figures to the public, clearly identifying their source and status. This move aims to promote transparency and public access to information during the electoral process.
The party's position comes amid renewed debate over the publication of election results by political parties and other stakeholders before INEC makes official declarations. The ADC respects INEC's legal mandate but will continue to exercise its constitutional right to collect, collate, and communicate election-related information.
The ADC urged stakeholders to distinguish between independent result collation and the statutory declaration of election results, insisting that the two functions are not mutually exclusive. The party stressed that any figures released by the party would be clearly identified as independently collated results and would not be presented as official declarations by INEC.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had previously warned against the publication of privately collated election results. However, the ADC maintains that its rights to collate and share election results are not abrogated by any limitation clauses. The party is confident in its constitutional rights to freedom of expression.
The ADC's decision to independently collate and share election results has sparked controversy, with some stakeholders likely to oppose the move. Nevertheless, the party remains committed to exercising its constitutional rights and promoting transparency in the electoral process. The ADC's move may have implications for future elections in Nigeria.
Key points
- The African Democratic Congress will proceed with its plan to collate and share polling-unit results during the 2027 general elections despite INEC's warning.
- The party maintains that its decision is protected by citizens' constitutional rights.
- The ADC's move aims to promote transparency and public access to information during the electoral process.
