The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the Independent National Electoral Commission should have deregistered the African Democratic Congress, accusing the coalition party of wasting Nigerians’ time and resources.

APC national secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, who stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, said the internal wrangling in the ADC is enough for its deregistration from the list of registered parties.

“Ordinarily, INEC should deregister them because they are just wasting the time and resources of Nigerians,” Mr Bashiru stated. “You look at the bye election in 17 constituencies, they won no seat. FCT Area Council elections, they won no chairmanship or councillorship seat.”

INEC had removed former Senate president David Mark and ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola as national chairman and secretary of the ADC, respectively, citing a ruling of the Court of Appeal.

The coalition, however, rejected the removal and accused the electoral umpire of being under APC control. It also asked INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, to step down from his position immediately. 

Mr Bashiru defended the INEC’s decision, adding that neither the electoral body nor President Bola Tinubu was complicit in the coalition’s legal failures.

“Anytime they lose a case, democracy is in danger but any time our party loses in court, they will say democracy is alive. It is very laughable. If Senator Mark and his factional ADC leadership believe INEC’s interpretation is flawed, they ought to know the proper channel to seek redress, which are the courts.

“The public defiant posture of Senator Mark and his factional ADC leadership against orders of the Court of Appeal and its implementation by INEC not only amounts to self-help but recklessness,” he added.

Mr Bashiru also dismissed the coalition’s call for Mr Amupitan’s resignation, urging ADC to pay attention to its internal crisis rather than blaming it on external factors.

The politician said, “I think they are not ready for the elections because even if you sack the entire management of INEC as they are demanding, who will appoint another management? So, if the president appoints another management team in line with the Constitution, will they ask that those ones be sacked again?” 

The decision of INEC to remove the ADC leadership has generated widespread criticism from Nigerians who accused Mr Tinubu of orchestrated attempt to strangulate opposition and win the 2027 presidential election unchallenged.