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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of undermining Nigeria’s democracy, alleging that the electoral body is being used to frustrate the will of the people.
Atiku made the allegation on Tuesday while addressing delegates at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national convention in Abuja.
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The former presidential candidate said there was “clear and obvious evidence” that INEC was being manipulated to scuttle democratic processes in the country.
“I will not end this without indicting the chairman of INEC and INEC itself,” he said. “It is clear, it is obvious, the evidence is there. INEC is being used to scuttle democracy in this country.”
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Atiku warned that Nigerians would resist any attempt to undermine democratic governance, drawing parallels with the country’s struggle against military rule.
“We fought the military to bring democracy in this country, and we are going to fight to defend it,” he said, adding that the leadership of the electoral body would be held accountable for what he described as “illegalities.”
His remarks come against the backdrop of recent tensions involving the ADC and INEC, including the derecognition of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) by the electoral body, citing an interim court order and a failure to resolve internal leadership disputes.
Beyond his criticism of INEC, Atiku painted a bleak picture of the country’s current state, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of mismanaging the economy and weakening key sectors.
He said Nigeria is grappling with widespread challenges, including economic decline, insecurity, poor infrastructure, and a struggling healthcare system.
“Our economy is gone, our sovereignty is weakened, our security is deteriorating, education is failing, infrastructure is almost non-existent, and healthcare is in a poor state,” he said.
Reflecting on the formation of the APC, Atiku recalled how political leaders across party lines had once urged him to join the coalition that eventually brought the party to power.
According to him, those efforts, driven by a desire for change, have not yielded the expected results given the current state of the country.
“We were persuaded to come together in the past, but today we must ask ourselves what kind of country we have built,” he said.
Atiku said the current moment demands renewed commitment to genuine reform, urging Nigerians to support efforts to restore democratic values and improve governance.
He emphasised that leaders of his generation remain engaged in politics largely out of concern for younger Nigerians, whom he said have not benefited from the country’s resources and opportunities.
“We are in this struggle because of the young people, because of the future of this country,” he said.
He assured delegates that the ADC was committed to building a transparent and accountable system in which corruption and impunity would not be tolerated.
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“You cannot get away with corruption in the ADC. You cannot compromise with criminality and expect to build a nation,” he said.
Atiku described the ADC as a platform for “sincere change,” adding that the party’s growing coalition reflects a shared determination among opposition leaders to provide an alternative to the current administration.
He called on Nigerians to support the movement, stressing that safeguarding democracy requires collective effort and vigilance.
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