Owerri — The Imo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over reports that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), 27 local government electoral officers, and other officials were allegedly sponsored on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem by the state government.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the party’s spokesperson, Chief Macdonald Amadi, ADC said it was compelled “by conscience and duty” to alert the public, security agencies, human rights bodies, and the international democratic community about what it described as a “deeply troubling development.”
According to the statement, “INEC was not created to be grateful to politicians. INEC was created to be faithful to the Constitution. INEC was not designed to be sponsored. INEC was designed to be sovereign.”
The party warned that if the reports are accurate, the move represents a “grievous erosion of the independence, integrity, and moral authority of the electoral body,” sending a dangerous signal that those entrusted to safeguard democratic processes are instead compromising their neutrality.
“This singular act amounts to a vote of no confidence passed by the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission on its own. For when an umpire accepts favors from one team, the crowd no longer trusts the whistle,” the statement added.
ADC further cautioned that democracy could quietly collapse through “compromises, indulgences, and silence,” quoting an African proverb: “The bush baby cried in the night, and the child died in the morning.” The party called on security agencies, civil society groups, human rights organizations, and the international community to investigate and safeguard the impartiality of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
“Democracy is not sustained by slogans. It is preserved by systems. It is defended by institutions. And when those institutions begin to wobble, nations fall. This is not about ADC. This is about Nigeria. This is about the soul of elections. This is about the future of Imo State,” the statement concluded.
When contacted for comment, Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, did not respond to calls or messages.
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