A huge crowd stormed the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, ignoring the steady rain to demand accountability from the electoral body as the 2027 elections loom.
What started as a small protest by a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) quickly turned into a bigger gathering. People from various parties and groups joined in, making it a wide-ranging rally focused on defending democracy and questioning the credibility of Nigeria’s election system.
Muyideen Bashiru, one of the protesters, said the turnout showed the concerns went beyond party lines, with participants coming from different parts of the country.
“We’re currently heading towards the INEC office. You can see the crowd; there are hundreds, possibly thousands of people gathered,” Bashiru said.
Notable faces in the crowd included David Mark, former Senate President; Rauf Aregbesola, former Osun State Governor and ex-Minister of Interior; Peter Obi, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate; Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement; Dino Melaye, ex-Senator for Kogi West; and other political figures.
The protest began at David Mark’s residence, where a morning service marked his 78th birthday, before the crowd marched in a coordinated procession.
“As you can see, it’s massive, this is not just about the ADC, there are members of other political parties here as well,” Bashiru added.
From Apo Legislative Quarters, the crowd surged towards INEC, swelling along the roads and taking over major streets in the Federal Capital Territory.
“You’ll recall that this protest was initially planned for last week but was cancelled,” Bashiru noted.
Last week’s protest was called off due to heavy security presence, including roadblocks and patrol vehicles. Wednesday’s march, however, seemed largely unannounced, catching authorities by surprise.
“But today feels different, it seems spontaneous, almost as if security agencies were caught off guard,” he said.
Despite the rain, the crowd continued to grow at INEC, with an intense but well-organized atmosphere.
“You can see the crowd behind me; it’s still growing, and the energy is intense,” Bashiru said.
