A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Aisha Yesufu, has alleged that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were offered bribes of up to $50,000 and parcels of land to facilitate the removal of the party’s leadership.
Her claims follow INEC’s recent decision to withdraw recognition of former Senate President David Mark as ADC National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
Speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, Yesufu also alleged that the INEC chairman may have been pressured into taking the action.
The co-convener of the BringBackOurGirls Movement questioned why anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have not launched investigations into the allegations.
She further criticised the state of Nigeria’s institutions, expressing concern over what she described as growing political interference and lack of independence, particularly within the judiciary.
According to Yesufu, the erosion of transparency and accountability is undermining democracy, warning that key institutions risk becoming tools used against opposition parties.
She stressed that Nigeria’s democracy, achieved through significant sacrifice, must be protected from manipulation by individuals seeking to retain power at all costs.