The National Youth Wing of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has called for an independent investigation into allegations of irregularities in the party’s primary elections across more than 23 states.
The youth wing alleged that petitions and documentary evidence submitted by aggrieved aspirants raised concerns over the manipulation of candidate nominations and the alleged involvement of some party officials in improper financial dealings.
Speaking at a national press conference on Monday, the ADC National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufai, urged the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, to immediately establish an independent and transparent review mechanism to investigate all complaints arising from the primaries.
Mr Rufai said the allegations, if established following an independent investigation, would amount to serious violations of the party’s constitution, internal democratic principles and the trust reposed in the party’s leadership by its members.
He said the party’s primary elections had generated widespread expectations among members, aspirants and young Nigerians, many of whom believed the exercise would demonstrate the ADC’s commitment to fairness, transparency and internal democracy.
According to him, aspirants invested personal resources in their campaigns, supporters travelled across states and local government areas, while party volunteers committed time and effort to the electoral process in the expectation that legitimate votes and mandates would be respected.
However, he said the optimism that accompanied the primaries had been replaced by concerns over allegations that some aspects of the nomination process may have been compromised.
“The National Youth Wing of the African Democratic Congress can no longer remain silent in the face of serious allegations that strike at the very foundation of the values we have asked Nigerians to believe in,” Mr Rufai said.
“We had every reason to expect that our internal processes would reflect the principles we preach. Instead, credible complaints have emerged suggesting that, in some instances, those principles may have been compromised.
“If these allegations are true, then those affected deserve justice, our members deserve answers, and our party deserves the courage to confront the truth.”
Mr Rufai said the youth wing had received petitions accompanied by documents alleging that some party officials accepted improper financial inducements to alter candidate nominations in more than 23 states.
He said formal petitions had also been submitted to the party’s Legal Department by the party’s Appeal Committee and some aggrieved aspirants but alleged that the complaints had not received adequate attention.
“It is on record that formal petitions were already submitted directly to the Legal Department by the party-constituted Appeal Committee, as well as aggrieved party aspirants, yet regrettably, nothing was done to address these clear breaches,” he said.
The youth leader said the youth wing had obtained official records, petitions and correspondence submitted by affected party members and would review and compile verified complaints for presentation to the appropriate organs of the party.
He said some aspirants had resigned from the party following the disputed nomination processes, while others had approached the courts after losing confidence in the party’s internal dispute-resolution mechanisms.
According to him, several other aggrieved members had remained in the party and were awaiting a response from its leadership.
“Behind every petition is a person who invested hope, time, resources and the confidence of their supporters in this process,” he said.
“Today, some have resigned from the party they helped to build. Others have turned to the courts because they believe they have nowhere else to seek redress. Many remain within our ranks, waiting patiently for their concerns to be heard.”
Mr Rufai warned that unresolved complaints could weaken members’ confidence in the party’s internal processes and threaten the unity required as the party prepares for the 2027 general election.
He said the allegations could also affect the party’s public image and its ability to present itself as a credible opposition platform.
