The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidates for chairmanship and councillorship in Adamawa State have outrightly rejected the results of the June 13, 2026, local government elections, describing the exercise as a charade and demanding a fresh, credible poll. The election, conducted by the Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC), produced winners across all 21 local government areas and 226 wards, with all positions going to candidates from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The ADC candidates, who participated in the election, claim the process lacked transparency, fairness, and basic electoral integrity, and therefore cannot be accepted as legitimate.
Speaking to journalists in Yola, Abubakar Ahmadu, who represented the ADC candidates, stated emphatically that no genuine elections took place across the state on the scheduled date. He questioned how results were announced and how winners emerged without credible electoral processes. “We wish to state emphatically that elections did not hold in all the local government councils across the state on June 13, 2026. We therefore wonder how results were concocted and how winners emerged,” Ahmadu declared. He further asserted that the announced results do not reflect the true will of the electorate and are therefore unacceptable.
Ahmadu condemned the conduct of the election as “the height of electoral banditry,” accusing ADSIEC of failing to uphold democratic standards. He called on civil society organisations, democracy advocates, and constitutional rights groups to step in and protect democratic principles in Adamawa State. The ADC candidates insist they do not recognise the declared winners and are demanding that ADSIEC reschedule a new election that is transparent, inclusive, and free from manipulation.
The ADC’s rejection of the election results comes amid growing concerns over electoral credibility in the state. While the PDP has celebrated its sweeping victory, opposition parties and civic groups are raising alarms over the lack of observed processes, voter suppression, and alleged irregularities. The ADC’s stance underscores a broader call for electoral reform and accountability in Nigeria’s local government elections, which are often seen as crucial for grassroots governance and development.
As the political tension mounts, the next steps will depend on whether ADSIEC responds to the demands for a re-run and whether national electoral bodies or the judiciary intervene. The outcome of this dispute may set a precedent for how future local elections are managed in Adamawa and across Nigeria.
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