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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling  All Progressives Congress (APC) of mounting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in what it describes as a calculated bid to destabilise the opposition and stifle its growing momentum.

In a strongly worded statement, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi , warned that the alleged interference strikes at the heart of INEC’s credibility and raises troubling concerns about its independence amid Nigeria’s shifting political landscape.

The party linked the alleged pressure campaign to a March 28 letter purportedly written by a group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria acting on behalf of an expelled member, seeking to compel INEC to act on a controversial interpretation of a Court of Appeal ruling on the party’s leadership structure. ADC described the move as a brazen attempt to undermine its David Mark-led leadership.

According to the party, the defection of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has unsettled the ruling APC, triggering what it called a desperate campaign to weaken the opposition and halt further defections.

“The decision of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to join ADC has clearly rattled the ruling party. Since then, top officials have escalated efforts to fracture our leadership and intimidate potential defectors,” the statement declared.

ADC also condemned what it described as veiled threats contained in the letter, including an alleged ultimatum warning the INEC chairman of possible arrest if demands were not met within seven days. The party said such tactics amount to an attempt to strong-arm the electoral body into partisanship.

On the internal dispute, ADC dismissed claims by Nafiu Bala Gombe, insisting he never occupied the positions he now claims, and accusing him of being a tool in the wider plot to destabilise the party.

“No amount of intimidation or legal manipulation can derail the rising wave of ADC. What is emerging is a credible opposition Nigerians can trust,” the party asserted.

Reaffirming its stance, ADC urged INEC to resist external pressures and uphold its constitutional mandate as an impartial umpire.

“This is no longer just about ADC,” the statement stressed. “It is about the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy and the right of citizens to freely choose an alternative political path. That must not be compromised.”