The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticized the conduct of the by-elections held on Saturday, August 16, across 13 Nigerian states and 16 constituencies, describing the exercise as deeply flawed and emblematic of the nation’s deteriorating democratic standards.
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed grave concern over reports of widespread electoral malpractice including violence, vote buying, voter intimidation, and administrative failures.
Although the ADC did not field candidates in most of the contested positions, it stressed that the elections should not be interpreted as a measure of the strength or weakness of the opposition coalition. Instead, the party argued, they exposed the depth of electoral decay under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership.
“What Nigerians witnessed in yesterday’s by-elections is yet another reminder that under the current administration, democracy itself, just like the economy and our national security, continues to decline,” the statement read.
The ADC detailed alarming incidents across several states, including the arrest of nearly 300 armed thugs on election day, instances of ballot box snatching, and polling unit cancellations. In one case, a vote-buyer was caught with ₦25.9 million in cash. In others, election officials were reportedly complicit in the fraud.
The party also highlighted persistent failures with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), casting doubt on the capacity, transparency, and neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“If INEC cannot guarantee the integrity of a by-election, then Nigerians are right to question its readiness for a general election,” the statement warned.
The ADC called on President Tinubu to demonstrate leadership beyond party lines and take urgent action to restore trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
Furthermore, the party urged the international community and democratic partners not to ignore the “brazen subversion of democratic norms,” cautioning that silence would only embolden further impunity.
The ADC also referenced a Canadian court’s recent classification of both the APC and PDP as terrorist organizations, stating that the conduct of the by-elections regrettably supports such a damning view.
In a final call to action, the ADC appealed to civil society, religious leaders, the media, and all Nigerians committed to democratic ideals to resist what it termed the “slide into electoral banditry.”
“If we do not defend the sanctity of the ballot today, there may be nothing left to defend tomorrow,” the party concluded.
