Youths of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday staged a protest at the Lagos office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yaba, demanding the immediate resignation of the party’s national chairman, Joash Amupitan.
The demonstrators, led by the party’s national deputy youth leader, Adeola Olusi, gathered under tight security presence and displayed placards with messages such as “ADC Is Not For Sale,” “Amupitan Is Already Compromised,” and “Democracy is Dialogue, Not Monologue.”
The protest forms part of a wider mobilisation tagged ‘Operation Occupy INEC’, announced earlier by Balarabe Rufai. In a post on X, Rufai disclosed that demonstrations would take place across Lagos and Ogun states, beginning at Yaba College of Technology.
He said the action was aimed at defending internal democracy within the party.
“ADC Youth Wing has taken a firm and peaceful stand, occupying INEC to deliver a clear message: the rule of law must be respected, due process must be upheld, Amupitan must resign immediately, and the Senator David Mark-led leadership must be restored without delay,” Rufai wrote.
The Lagos protest follows a similar demonstration held in Abuja on April 8 by key opposition figures within the party, including Atiku Abubakar, David Mark, and Rotimi Amaechi.
Other notable figures present at the Abuja protest included Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Dino Melaye.
The protests come amid a deepening leadership crisis within the ADC following INEC’s derecognition of rival factions on April 1. The electoral body said its decision was based on a March 12 Court of Appeal judgment directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending resolution of the dispute.
The ongoing standoff highlights growing tensions within the party, with youth members now taking centre stage in demanding leadership accountability and adherence to due process.
