ADC Warns INEC Against Partisan Lecturers as Returning Officers After 600 Academics Endorse Tinubu
Abuja, Nigeria—September 14, 2026—The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately review and tighten its rules on appointing university lecturers as Returning and Collation Officers for the 2027 general elections.
The call comes in direct response to reports that more than 600 senior academics from public universities across Northern Nigeria publicly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.
In a strongly worded press statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the development raises serious questions of electoral credibility and potential conflict of interest.
University lecturers and vice-chancellors have long been routinely appointed by INEC to collate results and declare winners—roles the party argues require absolute neutrality.
The Core Principle: Neutrality First
While acknowledging every Nigerian’s constitutional right to support or endorse any candidate, the ADC insisted that open partisanship should disqualify individuals from later serving as election officials in contests involving those candidates.
“You cannot campaign for a candidate and then be entrusted with counting the votes and declaring winners in the same election that your candidate is contesting in,” the statement declared.
The party called on INEC to:
- Establish and publicly release clear criteria that disqualify academics and other prospective officials who have publicly endorsed candidates, engaged in partisan activities, or shown clear political affiliation.
- Publish the full list of proposed Returning and Collation Officers well ahead of the elections so parties and the public can raise legitimate conflict-of-interest concerns in good time.
“The integrity of an election does not begin when the first ballot is cast. It begins with the neutrality of the people entrusted to administer, collate, and declare its outcome,” the ADC stressed*. “Nigerians must never be placed in a position where those who have publicly chosen a side are subsequently presented as neutral arbiters of the contest.”*
Background to the Endorsement
The academics’ endorsement followed a closed-door meeting held on September 10, 2026, at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Kaduna.
The gathering was convened by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, and attended by several northern governors.
In their communiqué, the lecturers expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election but added that the backing “should not be interpreted as a blank check.”
They urged the government to address high food and transport costs, unemployment, and insecurity, while calling for stronger security strategies and greater investment in agriculture, education, healthcare, and infrastructure in the North.
Wider Context and Reactions
The ADC’s intervention forms part of growing opposition scrutiny of the electoral process ahead of 2027. Similar concerns about the neutrality of election officials have been raised by other political actors, including aides linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
INEC has not yet issued a formal response to the ADC’s specific demands. The Commission traditionally relies heavily on senior academics for sensitive electoral duties, citing their relative independence and expertise. Whether it will introduce new screening measures or early disclosure of names remains to be seen.
As political activities intensify, the debate over who administers Nigeria’s elections continues to underscore a deeper question: how to protect the impartiality of the process in an increasingly polarized environment.
The ADC maintains that safeguarding electoral integrity requires proactive steps long before voting day.
For many Nigerians watching the 2027 contest take shape, the neutrality of those who will count the votes remains a non-negotiable foundation of public trust.
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