ADC Warns Against Using Ebola Outbreak To Delay 2027 Election

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has cautioned against any attempt to postpone the January 16, 2027 presidential election under the pretext of containing the Ebola outbreak.

The council alleged that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, could be summoned to the Presidential Villa and pressured to alter the election date, although it provided no evidence to support the claim.

In a statement issued by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the council said it was raising the alarm ahead of the alleged meeting and urged Amupitan to resist any pressure to change the electoral timetable.

“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the council said.

It challenged President Bola Tinubu to seek re-election through the ballot box rather than pursue an extension of his time in office through a postponement.

“If President Tinubu believes Nigerians want another four years of his government, he should face them at the ballot box, not seek more time through the back door,” the statement added.

The campaign council argued that Nigerians had endured three and a half years of rising prices, reduced purchasing power and economic hardship, insisting that voters should have the opportunity to judge the administration’s performance at the scheduled polls.

It warned that changing the election timetable without compelling justification could erode public confidence in the electoral process.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the Ebola outbreak, the council cautioned against using the public health situation as a political justification for delaying the election.

“Ebola is a serious public health concern. Health professionals must be free to contain it, and INEC must take every necessary step to protect voters and election workers,” it said.

The council also claimed that the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had stated that there was currently no reason to postpone the election.

It urged INEC to implement appropriate health and safety measures for voters and election personnel while adhering to the published timetable.

The opposition campaign council further called on domestic election observers and international monitoring organisations to scrutinise any proposal to change the election date, arguing that such a decision must be backed by publicly available health evidence.

“The presidency must not use a health emergency to escape an electoral verdict,” it said.

The council’s warning centred on the January 16, 2027 date, with the group insisting that any proposed change must be based on verifiable circumstances and subjected to public scrutiny rather than private political discussions.

However, the statement did not establish that President Tinubu had summoned the INEC chairman or that any formal request to postpone the election had been made. Neither the Presidency nor INEC was quoted as responding to the allegation in the statement made available by the council.