With the tenure of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, set to expire in December, the youth wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against influencing the process of appointing his successor.
Speaking under the banner of the African Democratic Youth Congress (ADYC) at a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, the youths declared that regardless of who emerges as the next INEC boss, they remain confident of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
“Even if Tinubu appoints his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, as INEC Chairman, we will still prevail at the polls. Politics is about numbers, not money. They can bring trillions, but we will collect it and still vote ADC. We are ready to defend our votes from polling units to the final collation centre,” the group said.
The ADYC leaders, including National Coordinator Ruqayya Lamido Dodo, Director General Murtala Haliru Dantoro, and Joshua Nweke Anioma, criticized last Saturday’s bye-elections as a “show of shame,” citing rampant vote-buying. Dantoro lamented that voters in Niger State were bribed with as little as ₦2,000, describing the practice as “heartbreaking and criminal.”
The group urged Tinubu to appoint a new INEC chairman with unquestionable integrity and a commitment to Nigeria’s democratic future, rather than partisan loyalty.
Mrs. Dodo stressed that Nigerian youths are determined to break free from decades of marginalization.
“For too long, we’ve been called the ‘leaders of tomorrow,’ only to be sidelined today. Our generation refuses to remain spectators in a country that belongs to us. The ADYC is not just a youth wing; we are the vanguard of a new movement to rebuild Nigeria with transparency, accountability, and inclusion,” she said.
According to the group, their strategy is to build a nationwide grassroots movement that empowers young people across communities to become active agents of change through local chapters, development projects, and digital mobilization.
“Our message is simple: we refuse to inherit a broken system. We are here to fix it with unity and purpose. The ADC youth are not waiting for tomorrow—we are building the Nigeria of our dreams today,” they declared.
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