2027: ADC Won’t Rely on INEC Alone, Will Protect Its Votes — Bolaji Abdullahi
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says it will not depend solely on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to safeguard the integrity of the 2027 general elections, declaring that the party will take deliberate steps to protect its votes.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the declaration on Wednesday in Ilorin during the ADC’s Walk-to-Rule campaign, organised to mobilise support and raise awareness ahead of the 2027 elections.
Abdullahi said that although there are committed officials within INEC, the party would not build its electoral strategy on trust alone, citing its experience in the 2023 general elections.
“With due respect, INEC still has people who are committed to doing the right thing, but we are not going to run our election based on trust,” he said.
He added that the ADC had trusted the electoral process in the last general election but was dissatisfied with the outcome.
“We know what they are capable of doing. We trusted them in 2023 and we saw what happened. We are not going to trust them with our votes this time around,” Abdullahi stated.
Asked how the party intended to safeguard its votes, he declined to disclose details.
“We are not going to tell you, but that is exactly what we are going to do if we must win this election,” he said.
Speaking on the turnout for the Walk-to-Rule exercise, Abdullahi said party leaders had initially been uncertain about the level of participation because the ADC lacked the financial resources available to larger political parties.
However, he described the turnout as overwhelming, noting that supporters trekked about 13 kilometres from Adeita Roundabout to the party’s state secretariat in the Basin area of Ilorin.
According to him, the exercise demonstrated growing grassroots support for the ADC and reinforced the party’s position as a credible alternative for Kwarans ahead of the 2027 elections.
He urged residents of the state to support the party’s candidates, pledging that an ADC administration would prioritise socio-economic development, particularly in rural communities.
On the party’s governorship candidate, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Abdullahi said his experience and political pedigree placed him ahead of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He noted that with both major contenders coming from Kwara North Senatorial District, voters now have the opportunity to choose their next governor based on competence, experience and proven leadership.
Commenting on the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Abdullahi said the governor could have delivered more if he had been more inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people.
He, however, stressed that his criticism was based solely on governance and should not be interpreted as a personal attack.
“I believe Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq could have done much better than he has. But because some people are looking for others to join them in fighting him politically, I will not be part of that.
“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is not my enemy. I will not join anyone to fight their political battle,” he said.
Abdullahi maintained that constructive criticism remains essential to strengthening governance and ensuring better outcomes for the people of Kwara State.
