By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Human Rights lawyer and social critic, Inibehe Effiong, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC of collaborating with the All Progressive Congress-led Government to foist on Nigeria and Nigerians a one party system.
This is as he urged the electoral body to go ahead and declare President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the winner of the 2027 polls and save the country further waste of resources and energy.
Effiong’s position is coming against the backdrop of INEC’s controversial decision to withdraw its recognition of the Senator David Mark-led National Leadership of the opposition Coalition platform the African Democratic Congress ADC.
The Source reports that the INEC, in a statement on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from its National Commissioner/Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, cited a Court of Appeal ruling which directed the maintenance of status quo ante bellum in the ADC’s leadership contest involving the Mark-led National Working Committee, NWC, and the former National Deputy Chairman, Bala Nafiu Gombe, as a major reason for its action.
But in a statement, Effiong strongly berated INEC for its questionable and partisan handling of the ADC’s leadership crisis.
The Human Rights lawyer pointedly accused the leadership of the INEC of working in concert with the Government to undermine and completely stifle opposition voices in the country.
He challenged the electoral umpire to come clean, and let Nigerians know if the intention behind the orchestrated plot to frustrate opposition parties is to favour President Tinubu.
He expressed serious concern that the steps being taken by INEC are capable of undermining and eroding multi-party democracy in the country.
Effiong emphasized that INEC’s obviously biased handling of ADC leadership crisis has clearly distabilised the party ,as well as severely hampering its ability to to organize and prepare for the 2027 polls .
According to Effiong ,INEC’s controversial decision to withdraw recognition of the Mark-led NWC has created a serious a leadership vacuum within the ADC ,a development he believes serve the interest of the ruling APC.
He accused the INEC of wilfully misinterpreting the Court of Appeal judgment on the leadership tussle to suit its hidden motives .
On the Court of Appeal judgment directing parties to maintain the status quo, pending the determination of a case at the Federal High Court, the human rights lawyer argued that the Mark-led NWC was already in place before the ruling, a development that raises serious questions about INEC’s interpretation and enforcement of the court order.
He, therefore, questioned INEC’s actual motives behind creating a leadership vacuum within the ADC , until the final determination of the case .
Effiong warned that INEC’s erosion of credible opposition platforms could undermine and erode public confidence in the entire electoral processes as well as cast doubts on credibility of the 2027 polls.
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