BY NONYE JULIET
Kaduna
The Northern Awareness Network (NAN) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are at loggerheads over the credibility of recent voter registration statistics released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The ADC had earlier raised doubts about the figures, particularly in Osun State and the South West, alleging possible manipulation.
Reacting, NAN, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Salihu Sulaiman, dismissed the concerns as “baseless, misleading and politically motivated.”
According to NAN, the numbers reflect Nigeria’s growing democratic participation rather than any partisan advantage.
It argued that high registration does not automatically translate to electoral victory, citing the 2022 Osun governorship election where the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) triumphed over the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite the surge in registrants.
The group also accused the ADC of “selective outrage,” noting the party’s silence on registration figures from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other regions.
“Why the focus on Osun and the South West while ignoring voter numbers elsewhere? Such cherry-picking undermines genuine advocacy for electoral transparency”.
Instead of raising alarms, NAN urged the ADC and other political parties to redirect energy towards mobilizing citizens to register and vote.
“Political energy should be directed towards positive engagement, not divisive rhetoric”.
NAN warned that persistent disputes over INEC data risk discouraging new voters and eroding confidence in the democratic process.
The group further alleged that the ADC’s criticism could be a prelude to rejecting future election outcomes.
“This is a textbook case of a party preparing excuses for an electoral defeat it already anticipates”.
