Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president; David Mark, national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); and Rotimi Amaechi, ex-minister of transportation, on Wednesday led a protest tagged ‘Occupy INEC’ in Abuja.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 poll; Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun state; Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano; and ex-senator Dino Melaye, were also among the protesters.
The demonstration was organised by leaders of the ADC to protest what they described as the “partisanship” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku announced the protest in a post on X.
“Myself and other leaders of the ADC are peacefully protesting against the partisanship of the electoral umpire,” he said.
“Our patriotic stance is aimed at safeguarding our democracy and preventing the enthronement of a dictatorship.”
Protesters at the venue repeatedly chanted “Ojoro”, while holding placards and banners with inscriptions like ‘Tinubu, why are you afraid?’, ‘Judges must give justice’, ‘Tinubu, let democracy breathe’.
The protest comes in the wake of INEC’s de-recognition of the ADC leadership following a court of appeal verdict.
