Former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has alleged that there are ongoing moves by the ruling government, using the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the courts, to frustrate and possibly proscribe the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amadi made the claim in a post shared on his X account, warning opposition politicians against focusing solely on internal power struggles while ignoring what he described as a bigger existential threat facing the party.
According to him, political actors within the opposition are distracted by debates over who should win party primaries and who should emerge as vice-presidential candidate, while forces within the ruling establishment may be working to prevent the ADC from even appearing on the ballot.
“While you guys are fighting who has a right to win primaries and who has the duty to be VP, the ruling government through INEC and court may proscribe ADC,” he wrote.
Amadi disclosed that before recent developments involving INEC, he had been privately warned by someone familiar with the commission’s internal workings that there were plans to use the judiciary against the party.
“A few days before INEC came with its sledge hammer, a lady who knows the workings of INEC told me that the government would try and use the court to proscribe ADC,” he stated.
He urged the party and its stakeholders to immediately activate an alternative political strategy to avoid being shut out of the 2027 election.
“If there is a Plan B, put it in motion now if you want to be on the ballot,” he warned.
Amadi further claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sees the possible candidacy of Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a major political threat.
“Tinubu is mortally afraid of Peter Obi on the ballot. He cannot campaign rigorously. And the country is in terrible state,” he added.
His comments come amid growing legal and political uncertainty surrounding the leadership crisis within the ADC, with the party currently awaiting a crucial Supreme Court judgment that could determine its leadership structure and participation in the 2027 elections.
The party has also written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, warning that delays in the apex court’s judgment could jeopardize its chances of participating in the next general election.
Amadi’s remarks are expected to further fuel debate over opposition realignments and the intensifying political battle ahead of 2027, especially as parties scramble to secure legal stability and electoral relevance.
