ADC National Youth Leader - Balarabe Rufai@BalarabeRufai_
ADC YOUTH WING ISSUES 3DAYS ULTIMATUM TO INEC: RESTORE DEMOCRACY OR FACE NATIONWIDE CIVIC ACTION
FULL TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE YOUTH WING OF THE AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ADC, AT THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS,FCT ABUJA.
Date: Monday 6th April, 2026
Gentlemen of the Press, Fellow Nigerian Youths, Distinguished Citizens,
Nigeria is under democratic siege.
What should have been a steady consolidation of 27 uninterrupted years of civil rule since 1999 is now being deliberately undermined by those entrusted to protect it.
Institutions meant to defend the will of the people are now being compromised, weakened, and weaponized against democracy itself.
Let us be clear, this is not a warning,this is a crisis.
As Mallam Aminu Kano once warned,
“The democratic humanism of the future can only be built on the ruins of the present corrupt and decaying system.”
Today, that decay is no longer hidden.
It is active, deliberate and also dangerous.
On July 29, 2025, the African Democratic Congress held a lawful NEC meeting under the full supervision of INEC.
That meeting dissolved the previous National Working Committee (NWC), produced a new leadership led by Senator David Mark.
INEC received the outcome,verified the process, officially uploaded and recognized this leadership on September 9, 2025
There was: No dispute. No objection. No ambiguity.
So, what changed?
Power, Pressure and Political interference.
Months later, individuals who had already resigned resurfaced to challenge a process they had no legal standing in.
While the matter remains before the courts, the Court of Appeal ordered, Maintain status quo ante bellum, the last uncontested position.
That position is clear, The leadership under Senator David Mark.
Yet INEC chose to ignore established facts,disregard due process and unlawfully interpret a court order.
Let it be stated unequivocally: INEC has no constitutional authority to interpret court orders.That duty belongs strictly to the courts.What INEC has done is not neutrality. It is complicity, partisanship and institutional sabotage.
We ask the INEC Chairman directly:
On what legal basis did INEC act on letters and an ex parte motion that has neither been heard nor determined by a court of competent jurisdiction?
Why did INEC Act on pending motions?
Rely on letters instead of binding court orders?
Assume the powers of the Judiciary?
This is not a mistake, but a violation of the Constitution.
We respectfully call on the National Assembly to Exercise their constitutional oversight immediately, Investigate this grave breach, initiate appropriate actions, including the recall or removal of the INEC Chairman because time is of essence. Democracy must be defended with action, not silence.
We urge the Judiciary to Clarify its orders to prevent manipulation, reassert its authority as the sole interpreter of the law, protect the integrity of Nigeria's legal system
We commend the Armed Forces for defending Nigeria. However, we state clearly, the military must remain neutral and stay away from civic democratic actions.
This is a civil and constitutional matter. Nigeria must not witness any attempt to use force against lawful democratic expression.
To over 100 million youths of our dear Country, this is about our future, our voice, our democracy.We must not defend injustice nor normalize illegality.
Together,let's stand now to defend our democracy or lose everything democracy represents.
Out Position is very clear; The leadership inaugurated on July 29, 2025, led by Senator David Mark, remains the only legitimate leadership of the ADC.
Any attempt to alter this without a final court judgment is illegal,null,void and unacceptable.
We hereby issue a 3DAYS ULTIMATUM TO INEC to:
Immediately restore the Senator David Mark-led leadership on its official portal.
Publicly apologize to Nigerians for its unconstitutional and partisan conduct.
