- Safiu Kehinde
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) stance to hold its National Convention despite alleged plot against the event centre hosting the convention.
Atiku, in a statement issued on his X handle on Tuesday, disclosed reports alleging plan by the Federal Government to revoke the licence of Rainbow Event Centre over its acceptance to host the ADC Convention slated to hold today.
NPO Reported that ADC had yesterday announced the event centre as the venue of the convention after having its request to use the Eagles Square and the MKO Abiola National Stadium rejected with some private centres also turning down the party’s request amid fear of being intimidated by the government.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, would, in a statement issued hours after the announcement of Rainbow Event Centre as the convention venue, alleged plot to revoke the centre’s license over its acceptance of the party’s request to use its facility.
Reacting, Atiku labelled the threat against the event centre as shameful abuse of public office.
He noted that the ADC has already made all necessary payment and arrangement for the usage of the centre.
“The reports from the spokesperson of our great party, which exposes the plans of the government and its agents to revoke the licence of Rainbow Event Centre for the singular offence of hosting the African Democratic Congress convention slated for today, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, is a shameful and cowardly abuse of public office.
“Let it be said without equivocation: coercing a private business owner to deny a lawfully registered opposition party the use of a venue is not governance.
“It is not politics. It is the naked conduct of a regime that has lost the argument, lost the people, and now reaches for the boot because it has nothing else left.
“The ADC has paid every fee. The ADC has signed every contract. The ADC has broken no law.
“Our only offence is that we are organising, we are growing, and we are preparing to retire this failed government at the ballot box in 2027.” He said.
Atiku further described the threat as vindicative act against opposition parties.
While urging the international community and Nigerians to observe the development, the ex-Vice President affirmed that the ADC will not bow to what he labelled creeping tyranny by the ruling party, insisting that the convention will hold as planned.
“This is how democracies are strangled, not in a single dramatic blow, but in a thousand petty, vindictive acts against opposition parties, against free assembly, and against the sacred right of citizens to choose their own leaders.
“To the international community, and every democratic partner of Nigeria: take note of what is being done here tonight, and in whose name. We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced.
“We will not bow to this creeping tyranny, and we will never bow to the petty tyrants behind it. The convention will hold. The ADC will rise. And Nigeria will rise with it.” Atiku added.