The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has warned against any alleged attempt to postpone the January 16, 2027 presidential election, accusing unnamed actors of potentially using the Ebola outbreak as justification to alter the electoral timetable.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the council alleged that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, could be summoned to the Presidential Villa and pressured to change the election date.
However, the council did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation of a planned meeting or an attempt to influence the electoral umpire.
ADC Warns Against Changing Election Timetable
The opposition campaign council urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon any alleged plan to interfere with the scheduled election, insisting that Nigerians must be allowed to exercise their democratic rights without undue interference.
It also called on Amupitan to resist any pressure to alter the timetable and publicly disclose any approach made to him concerning a possible postponement.
The council maintained that the election date should not be changed through private discussions, stressing that any decision to alter the schedule must be transparent and supported by credible evidence.
Ebola Outbreak Should Not Be Used as Political Excuse, ADC Says
Addressing concerns over Ebola, the ADC acknowledged that the disease presents a serious public health challenge but argued that health decisions should be guided by medical experts rather than political considerations.
The council cited the reported position of the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), who it said had indicated that there was no current reason to postpone the election.
According to the ADC, the health situation should not be used as a justification for changing the electoral calendar without clear scientific evidence.
The party called on INEC, domestic election observers and international monitoring organisations to closely scrutinise any proposal to alter the timetable.
Calls for Transparency Ahead of 2027 Poll
The campaign council insisted that any proposed change to the election schedule must be publicly explained, supported by published health evidence and subjected to public scrutiny.
It further urged electoral authorities to take appropriate measures to protect voters and election workers while ensuring that public health concerns do not unnecessarily disrupt the democratic process.
The allegation comes as political parties and prospective candidates prepare for the 2027 general elections. The claim of a plan to pressure INEC remains an allegation by the ADC campaign council and has not been independently established.
#ADC #2027Elections #INEC #BolaTinubu #NigerianPolitics #Ebola #ElectionNews #OnPointGist
