The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has raised concerns over an alleged plan to postpone the January 16, 2027 presidential election, warning against the use of the Ebola outbreak as a possible justification for changing the electoral schedule.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, alleged that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, could face pressure from the Presidency to alter the election date.
However, the council did not provide evidence that such a meeting had been arranged or that any formal move to reschedule the poll was underway.
The opposition campaign council urged Amupitan to resist any attempt to change the timetable for political reasons, insisting that decisions concerning the election must be transparent and guided by the public interest.
“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the statement said.
The council also challenged President Bola Tinubu to seek re-election through the established democratic process rather than benefit from any extension of the current electoral timeline.
It argued that Nigerians should have the opportunity to evaluate the administration’s performance at the ballot box after years of rising living costs, reduced purchasing power and economic difficulties.
According to the council, changing the election date without a compelling and publicly established reason could weaken public confidence in the electoral process and raise questions about the independence of electoral institutions.
Addressing concerns about Ebola, the ADC campaign council acknowledged the importance of protecting public health but cautioned against using a health emergency to justify a politically motivated postponement.
It called on health authorities to implement appropriate containment measures while urging INEC to ensure the safety of voters and election officials throughout the electoral process.
The council further claimed that the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had indicated that there was currently no justification for postponing the election. The statement, however, did not provide further details to independently establish the context of the reported position.
The group called on local election observers and international monitoring organisations to closely scrutinise any proposal to alter the election timetable. It maintained that any such decision should be based on verifiable public health evidence and communicated openly to Nigerians.
“The presidency must not use a health emergency to escape an electoral verdict,” the statement added.
The controversy highlights concerns about the potential implications of public health emergencies for election planning, particularly where a change in the timetable could affect political parties, candidates, voters and electoral preparations.
Nevertheless, the allegations remain unsubstantiated by the information contained in the council’s statement. No evidence was presented that President Tinubu had summoned the INEC chairman or that the commission had received an official request to postpone the poll.
The statement also contained no response from either the Presidency or INEC addressing the allegations.
The ADC campaign council maintained that the January 16, 2027 date should remain unchanged unless verifiable circumstances warrant a review through transparent and appropriate procedures.
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