It was hectic Wednesday in Abuja as many Nigerians and prominent politicians including former vice president Atiku Abubakar, and former Governors such as Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi as well as Dino Melaye, Aisha Yesufu among others stormed the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the demonstration tagged ‘Save Democracy protest’ in front of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Headquarters.
The protest comes days after INEC discontinued recognising the David Mark-led ADC leadership.
The large crowd of protesters with some wearing “Operation Save Our Democracy” T-shirts, while others carried placards with various messages including “INEC Chairman Amupitan must go” defied rains to demand electoral accountability from the electoral umpire.
As tensions build ahead of the 2027 elections, reports have it that what began as a protest linked to a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) quickly grew in numbers and intensity as People from different political parties and civic groups joined the move.
The demonstration turned into a broad coalition rally centered on defending democracy and questioning the credibility of the Nigeria electoral system, with many expressing concern over alleged irregularities in previous polls and warning that failure to address them could undermine public confidence in the democratic process.
The well organized peaceful protest commenced at the residence of former Senate President David Mark, with a morning service to mark his 78th birthday, before setting out to the INEC headquarters.
Despite the peaceful nature, there was, however, visible presence of Security around the INEC complex, with officers monitoring the situation to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Speakers who addressed the rally emphasized the importance of credible elections in sustaining Nigeria democracy, noting that electoral integrity is key to political stability and national development.
They also stressed the need for INEC to address concerns surrounding voter registration, result transmission, and the independence of electoral officials.
Addressing supporters in a post on X, Mr Peter Obi called on Nigerians to defend democratic values and resist any attempt to undermine the country’s multi-party system.
