ADC Convention Will Take Place Despite Obstacles and Sabotage, Atiku Insists

The National Convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will take place, according to former vice president Atiku Abubakar, despite attempts to disrupt the venue that has already been paid for.

The former vice president said that authorities were preparing to cancel the Rainbow Event Center's license due to its choice to host the ADC convention on April 14, 2026, in a sharply worded message made on his verified X former Twitter feed on Tuesday.

According to him, the purported conduct constituted to coercion of a private company and a purposeful attempt to stifle opposition activity.

According to Atiku Abubakar, forcing a private venue to refuse entry to a legally registered political party, despite fulfilling all contractual obligations, was neither governance nor legitimate politics but a sign of a government intolerant of dissent.”

He said that the ADC had fulfilled all standards, including payment of fees and contractual agreements, insisting the party had broken no law.

He argued that such actions reflect a broader pattern of undermining democratic principles, warning that “democracies are eroded through persistent, subtle acts against opposition parties and citizens’ rights.” The former presidential candidate also called on the international community and democratic partners to take note of what he described as intimidation tactics.

Atiku insisted that everything will go according to plan at the conference, stressing that opposition voices would not be silenced.

The claim has not yet received a direct response from the federal government, but it will be recalled that the Minister of the Federal Capital, NyesomWike, and the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, have been engaged in a war of words over the same issue.

While Abdullahi had alleged that Wike through the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, had refused the party the use of the Eagle square in Abuja for its convention, the minister fired back describing the whole issue as a storm in a teacup.

He said that the party has not requested the usage of Eagle Square and challenged the ADC to provide any supporting documents.

Mr. Abdullahi has responded by stating that the party would hold its convention at the Rainbow Event Center as scheduled and promising to resist intimidation.