The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is taking its fight with Nigeria’s electoral body international, appointing envoys in 12 global capitals to shine a spotlight on what it calls “undemocratic practices and attacks on opposition members.”
The move comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) de-recognized the David Mark-led leadership of the party and the Nafiu Bala faction on Wednesday. INEC, in a statement signed by Mohammed Haruna, its commissioner for information and voter education, said it would refrain from engaging either faction, citing the March 12 Court of Appeal judgment.
The commission added that it would not attend meetings, congresses, or conventions of ADC groups pending the determination of a case before the Federal High Court.
The decision sparked outrage, with the Mark-led ADC demanding the immediate removal of Joash Amupitan, INEC national chairman.
The party argued that the commission’s interpretation of the ruling shows bias and undermines public trust.
In response, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC national publicity secretary, announced on Saturday the establishment of a “special representatives network (SRN) in key foreign capitals” to strengthen international engagement and promote democratic accountability.
He alleged that since July 2025, there have been attempts “to destabilise opposition parties, undermine legitimate party leadership structures, and restrict democratic political participation.”
The SRN is intended to create structured channels of communication between the ADC and international stakeholders.
Under the initiative, credible representatives will be appointed as envoys in selected global capitals to serve as points of contact with foreign governments, parliamentary bodies, international media, and diaspora communities.
Abdullahi explained that the envoys will brief their host countries on Nigeria’s political environment, including governance, human rights concerns, electoral integrity, and alleged repression of opposition actors, while also communicating the party’s policy positions and reform proposals.
He added that the initiative is aimed at strengthening the party’s credibility as “a responsible democratic actor” and positioning it as a viable governing alternative.
The party identified Washington DC, London, Brussels, Berlin, Ottawa, Paris, Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Accra, Geneva, and New York as key engagement capitals.
As part of the initiative, Abdullahi said the ADC will also establish a national documentation initiative to track incidents affecting political participation across Nigeria.
“State party structures will gather information on incidents including threats, harassment, violent attacks, arbitrary arrests, and disruptions of political activities,” he said.
