By George Ozalla
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the government and its agents of attempting to frustrate its national convention by allegedly pressuring the management of Rainbow Event Centre to revoke a venue agreement ahead of the party’s scheduled gathering in Abuja on Tuesday.
In a statement released by its spokesperson, the party described the reported move as an abuse of public office, alleging that the venue was being targeted solely for agreeing to host the ADC convention.
The party maintained that it had fulfilled all contractual obligations required for the event, including payment of fees and execution of necessary agreements, insisting that it had not violated any law.
According to the statement, any attempt to compel a private business to deny a legally registered opposition party access to a venue undermines democratic principles and the right to free assembly. The ADC argued that such actions reflect a growing pattern of political intolerance and suppression of opposition activities.
The party further alleged that the move was aimed at weakening its rising political influence ahead of the 2027 general elections, where it said it intends to challenge the current administration through the ballot.
Calling for attention from Nigeria’s democratic partners and the international community, the ADC warned against what it described as a gradual erosion of democratic norms through administrative pressure and institutional interference.
Despite the development, the party insisted that its convention would proceed as planned, reaffirming its commitment to political participation and democratic engagement.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is one of Nigeria’s registered opposition parties.
