By Muhammad Mamman
In a fiery declaration poised to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape, youths from the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) have drawn a line in the sand for President Bola Tinubu. As the tenure of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu winds down this December, the ADC’s vibrant youth wing warns against any partisan interference in selecting his successor—vowing an unyielding electoral showdown in 2027, even if Tinubu appoints his own spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, to the helm.
Gathered under the banner of the African Democratic Youth Congress (ADYC) in Abuja on Tuesday, these emerging leaders signaled a seismic shift from passive observation to active resistance. “We’re done watching from the sidelines,” proclaimed National Coordinator Mrs. Ruqayya Lamido Dodo, flanked by Director General Murtala Haliru Dantoro, Joshua Nweke Anioma, and other key figures. “Politics boils down to numbers, and no amount of money can sway us. We’ll beat them silly in 2027.”
The group lambasted potential tactics by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine democratic will, pledging to counter every move with equal fervor. Referencing Onanuga’s recent quip about “how market,” they retorted: “The waters have been tested. Upcoming elections will reveal the true cost—it’s fire for fire.” Undeterred by financial inducements, they asserted, “They can bring trillions of Naira. We’ll collect the money, but we’ll vote ADC. From polling units to collation centers, we’ll defend every ballot.”
At the heart of their message lies a call for principled leadership in INEC’s future. “If the President must choose the next chairman, let it be someone of unassailable integrity—who puts Nigeria first, free from partisan or primordial biases,” the youths urged. This plea comes amid fresh scrutiny of last Saturday’s bye-elections, which Dantoro dismissed as “a show of shame.” Highlighting rampant vote-buying in Niger State—where payments as low as N2,000 allegedly swayed voters—he decried the erosion of free choice: “It’s heartbreaking in a nation where decisions should matter. There’s no greatness in forcing yourself on the people.”
Yet, amid the critique, the ADYC radiates optimism and resolve. “We refuse to inherit a broken system,” Dantoro emphasized. “We’re here to mend it through unbreakable unity. As the driving force behind ADC’s ideologies, we’re not just a youth wing—we’re the architects of Nigeria’s tomorrow.”
