The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing a major setback just hours to its planned national convention, as the party says it has been unable to secure a venue in Abuja.
The development has sparked fresh tension, with the party accusing the government of deliberate interference.
Bellnews reports that the disclosure came on Monday from party chieftain Kola Ologbondiyan, who detailed the challenges in a post on his X account. He described repeated failed attempts to secure both public and private venues in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, the party had earlier written to the office of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, seeking approval to use the Eagles Square. He said the request was acknowledged, but no approval has been granted so far.
“As the bromide has shown, a letter was presented to the Office of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister for a permit to use the Eagles Square. The letter was acknowledged but no response,” he stated.
Ologbondiyan also revealed that the party approached officials at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium for the use of the Velodrome. However, those efforts did not succeed despite several visits.
“The ADC team paid several visits to the Ministry of Sports officials at the MKO Stadium. At the end, ADC was refused the use of the Velodrome,” the statement added.
He further alleged that the situation has worsened, as privately owned event centres in Abuja are now declining requests from the party. According to him, many operators fear possible backlash if they host the opposition gathering.
“To make matters worse, privately owned event centres in Abuja are turning down the ADC’s requests for fears of harassment in various forms from the government,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, the party insisted that the convention will still go ahead as planned. It reaffirmed that members and supporters should remain committed to the scheduled date.
“All ADC members, teeming party supporters and indeed all Nigerians are assured that, as contained in the NOTICE issued to INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), the ADC National Convention will hold in Abuja as scheduled on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026,” Ologbondiyan declared.
The latest controversy adds to earlier claims by the party that the administration of Bola Tinubu is attempting to suppress opposition activities. The ADC has repeatedly raised concerns over access to public facilities and alleged political pressure.
The crisis is also unfolding amid internal leadership disputes within the party. Rival factions linked to David Mark and Nafiu Bala have continued to battle for control following the resignation of former chairman Ralph Nwosu in 2025.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has so far declined to recognise either faction, citing ongoing legal proceedings. This has further complicated preparations for the convention.
In recent days, top opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Tambuwal and Rauf Aregbesola had protested at INEC headquarters, accusing the federal government of undermining opposition parties.
However, the Presidency, through its spokesman Sunday Dare, has denied the allegations. It maintained that all political parties are entitled to equal rights and access under the law.