Youth movement rallies behind ADC to unseat APC in 2027

…demands credible INEC chairman

A pro-democracy group, the African Democratic Youth Congress (ADYC), has declared its alignment with the coalition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as part of efforts to dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

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The group made this known at a press briefing on the state of the nation and its official public presentation on Tuesday in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of ADYC, Prince Muritala Haliru Dantoro, said Nigerian youths were no longer comfortable with the state of affairs in the country and had resolved to take active roles in shaping the nation’s democratic future.

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He explained that the group adopted the ADC as its political platform to expand democratic participation and provide credible alternatives for Nigerians.

Dantoro further urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize national interest by appointing a credible individual as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“If the president is going to choose the next INEC chairman, he should put Nigeria first. Someone who has integrity, who has the interest of Nigeria first, and not given to primordial or partisan interests,” Dantoro said.

The group expressed concern over the rising incidence of vote buying, describing it as undemocratic and criminal. It called for stiffer penalties against offenders ahead of the 2027 polls.

“We must understand that vote buying is not merely a transaction; it is a betrayal of our collective future. It is the tool that gives power to the wrong people – individuals who prioritise personal gain over public service and who will inevitably fail to bring desperately needed development to our communities.

“They buy their way in, and they will only serve themselves,” Dantoro warned.

He urged Nigerian youths to take the lead in sensitising communities against the practice, stressing the need for grassroots enlightenment.

“Let’s go into every village, every street, every home, and enlighten our people about the power of their vote and the destructive consequences of selling it. Let us expose this electoral fraud that cuts across for what it is: a direct assault on the progress and development of our nation.”

Also speaking, the group’s National Coordinator, Mrs. Ruqayya Lamido Dodo, challenged young Nigerians to rise beyond the role of spectators and take charge of leadership responsibilities.

She said, “For decades, we have heard the same tired promises. We have been called the ‘leaders of tomorrow’, a phrase that has become little more than a polite way to sideline us from today’s critical decisions. Our generation is tired of being spectators in a nation that belongs to us. We are tired of seeing our potential wasted, our voices ignored, and our future held hostage by a political system that has failed us repeatedly.

“Today, we are here to declare that the African Democratic Youth Congress, the ADYC, is changing that narrative. We are not just a youth wing; we are the vanguard of a new movement. We are not waiting for tomorrow; we are building our nation today. We are the architects of a new Nigeria.”

The ADYC vowed to mobilize youths nationwide to ensure their voices are heard in the 2027 elections, insisting that democracy in Nigeria cannot survive without active youth participation.

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