ADC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Pressure on INEC to Shift January 2027 Election
- The ADC Presidential Campaign Council raised an alarm over reports that INEC may be pressured to shift the January 16 election date
- The council said it received information that the INEC chairman was to be summoned to the Presidential Villa and instructed to move the date
- ADC urged INEC's Professor Joash Amupitan to reject any such instruction and make any approach from the Presidency public immediately
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has publicly warned President Bola Tinubu against any attempt to use the ongoing Ebola health concerns as cover to delay the January 16, 2027 presidential election, which is now less than 80 days away.
Phrank Shaibu, the council's Director of Strategic Communication, said the group had received information suggesting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman was being summoned to the Presidential Villa to be pressured into shifting the election date.
Source: Twitter
He made this known in a statement issued and made available to Legit.ng on Wednesday, October 28, 2028.
"The Council has received information that the INEC Chairman is to be summoned to the Presidential Villa and instructed to shift the election," the statement read. "We are raising the alarm before that meeting takes place."
The council called on INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan to refuse any such directive and to immediately disclose any approach made to him from the Villa.
It described the election date as belonging to Nigerians and insisted it could not be altered behind closed doors.
ADC cites NCDC position on Ebola
On the question of public health, the council acknowledged that Ebola is a genuine concern and said health authorities must be allowed to respond to it freely.
However, it pointed to a statement from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Director General, who reportedly said there was currently no reason to postpone the election, as evidence that the health situation does not justify any change to the electoral timetable.
The council argued that the Presidency must not distort that public health position into a political tool for delay.
Shaibu's statement also put domestic and international election observers on notice, saying any proposal to adjust the schedule must be made in the open, backed by published health evidence, and exposed to public scrutiny.
Nigerians deserve verdict at ballot box
The council framed the election as an opportunity for Nigerians to pass judgement on over three years of what it described as soaring prices, shrinking incomes and widespread economic hardship under the Tinubu administration.
"A government that has made life this difficult for Nigerians must not be allowed to postpone its day of judgment," the statement said.
Legit.ng earlier reported that the NCDC Director-General Jide Idris pushed back against claims that the Ebola outbreak could be exploited ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku demands full breakdown of ₦10bn Ebola fund
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Atiku challenged the Tinubu administration to publish a full breakdown of the ₦10 billion announced for Ebola preparedness in June.
Atiku raised questions about a nine-day delay before the government publicly confirmed Nigeria's first Ebola case in Abuja after the patient sought care on October 11, 2026.
The statement also accused the government of planning to use the Ebola outbreak to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies ahead of the 2027 elections.
Source: Legit.ng
