2027 elections: ADC dares INEC on results’ collation, documentation

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vowed to document, collate, and share polling-unit results with the public during the 2027 general elections.

The party, which made the vow in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, nevertheless restated its respect for
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the body mandated with the statutory responsibility to declare official election outcomes and to announce winners of elections.

In the statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party was apparently responding to INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan’s warning against the sharing of privately collated results as the country goes to poll in 2027.

But while renewing its vow, the ADC argued that independently collating and sharing election results is a constitutional right.

The party, therefore, maintains the right to freely collect and share information, including election results.

“We are aware of our rights to freedom of expression under the Constitution. We are also aware of the limitations associated with those rights. And we hold that our rights to collate and share election results are not abrogated by any of the limitation clauses.

“The ADC will share our collated results with the public. Our agents will document results, our structures will collate them, and we will communicate verified figures to the public, clearly identifying their source and status,” the party said.

The party said although it recognises INEC’s responsibility to make official declarations of results and to declare winners of elections, it insisted that responsibility cannot reasonably abrogate the right of citizens to collect and collate election results and to share them.