Ogona Anita
The Imo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised a serious alarm over what it described as a troubling and potentially dangerous development capable of undermining democracy in the state, alleging that the Imo State Government sponsored the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and all the 27 Local Government Electoral Officers, alongside other officials, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
The party said the alleged sponsorship, if confirmed, represents a grave assault on the independence, neutrality and moral authority of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that such actions could fatally compromise public trust in the electoral process ahead of future elections in the state.
The alarm was sounded in a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday by the ADC’s Imo State spokesperson, Chief Macdonald Amadi, and made available to journalists in Owerri. According to the party, it was compelled by “conscience and duty” to speak out, not only to the people of Imo State but also to security agencies, human rights institutions, civil society organisations, donor agencies and the international democratic community.
In the statement, the ADC questioned the propriety of any form of sponsorship involving electoral officials and political authorities, insisting that INEC was established by law to be independent and immune from political inducement.
“INEC was not created to be grateful to politicians,” the statement read. “INEC was created to be faithful to the Constitution. INEC was not designed to be sponsored. INEC was designed to be sovereign.”
The party argued that the reported pilgrimage, allegedly funded by the Imo State Government, constitutes a grievous erosion of the independence of the electoral umpire and sends a dangerous message to the electorate.
“If this report is true, it sends a chilling signal to the public that those who should stand between power and the people have chosen instead to kneel before power,” the ADC said.
According to the party, democracy thrives not only on the conduct of elections but also on the perception of fairness and neutrality of those entrusted to conduct them. Any action that creates the impression of compromise, it said, weakens the foundation of democratic governance.
The ADC went further to describe the alleged development as a “vote of no confidence” passed by the electoral body on itself, stressing that an umpire who accepts favours from one side can no longer be trusted to officiate impartially.
“For when an umpire accepts favours from one team, the crowd no longer trusts the whistle,” the statement noted, using a sports analogy to underscore its concerns.
The party warned that democratic collapse does not always occur through dramatic events such as military coups, but often through subtle compromises that gradually erode institutional integrity.
“We must remind the world: democracy does not always collapse through coups. Sometimes, it dies quietly through compromises, through indulgences, through silence,” the ADC stated.
In a symbolic warning, the party invoked an African proverb to illustrate the danger of ignoring early signs of institutional decay. “There is an African proverb that says: ‘The bush baby cried in the night, and the child died in the morning.’ Warnings are often whispered before disasters roar,” it said.
The ADC stressed that its intervention was not driven by partisan interest but by a desire to protect democratic values in Imo State and Nigeria at large. It warned that should the democratic process in the state suffer any setback in the future, INEC should not claim innocence.
“We are therefore placing this on record today: If anything happens to democracy in Imo State, INEC must not pretend to be innocent,” the party declared.
Calling for urgent action, the ADC urged Nigerian security agencies, human rights organisations, civil society groups and the international community to immediately investigate the alleged sponsorship and take steps to safeguard the neutrality and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
“Democracy is not sustained by slogans. It is preserved by systems. It is defended by institutions. And when those institutions begin to wobble, nations fall,” the statement said.
The party insisted that the matter transcends partisan politics and touches the core of Nigeria’s democratic future.
“This is not about ADC. This is about Nigeria. This is about the soul of elections. This is about the future of Imo State. We refuse to be silent while the altar of democracy is being traded for souvenirs of compromise,” it concluded.
Efforts to get a response from the Imo State Government were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. When contacted, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, neither answered calls nor responded to messages sent to him seeking clarification on the allegation.
The controversy comes at a time when public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process remains fragile, following repeated disputes over election conduct and outcomes across the country. Observers say any perception of undue closeness between electoral officials and political authorities could further deepen mistrust and heighten political tension.
While the Imo State Government has yet to officially react, the ADC’s allegations have sparked conversations among political stakeholders and civil society actors in the state, many of whom argue that transparency and accountability are essential to protecting democratic institutions.
As calls for investigation grow louder, attention is now focused on INEC and relevant authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged pilgrimage and reassure the public of the commission’s independence. For many observers, how this issue is addressed may prove critical in shaping public confidence in future elections in Imo State and beyond.
