The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has declared that the party will not accept electoral rigging or allow itself to be disenfranchised in the 2027 general elections.
Mark made the declaration on Wednesday when the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development paid a courtesy visit to the ADC national headquarters in Abuja.
The delegation was led by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, as part of the Centre’s ongoing stakeholder engagements with political parties and political leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ariwoola said the engagement was aimed at strengthening the Centre’s efforts to promote free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.
He urged the ADC leadership to encourage its candidates and members to abide by the rules of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and reject all forms of political violence during the electoral process.
Responding, Mark assured the delegation that the ADC would operate within the established rules and remain committed to democratic principles.
“We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy,” he said.
The ADC chairman said the party would comply with INEC’s electoral guidelines and its internal code of conduct as contained in the party’s Orange Book.
However, Mark stressed that compliance with the rules did not mean the party would tolerate electoral malpractice.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out,” he said.
Mark’s comments come as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with concerns over electoral integrity, political violence and the credibility of the voting process expected to remain major issues in the run-up to the polls.
The ADC has positioned itself as one of the emerging political platforms seeking to challenge the dominance of the established political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Savannah Centre delegation, led by Ariwoola, included members of the Centre’s Governing Council, known as the “Council of the Wise.”
They included Professors Abdullahi Shehu and Azeez Musa Dankano; the Executive Director, Ambassador Sani Bala; Mr Tunji Lardner; and Ambassador Godswill Ighali, among others.
The engagement formed part of broader efforts by civil society and democracy-focused organisations to engage political parties ahead of the 2027 elections and encourage adherence to democratic norms.
