The Kogi State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed strong discontent over decision of the state electoral umpire to proceed with the local government election scheduled for October 17, 2026, without adequately involving opposition parties.
The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission’s (KOSIEC), on Wednesday, announced the exclusion of seven political parties from the election over failure to comply with registration and other electoral laws.
In a statement issued in Lokoja, the state capital, on Thursday, ADC State Chairman, Chief Kingsley Temitope Ogga, criticized KOSIEC for failing to notify the party and other stakeholders before announcing the election timetable.
“We are shocked that KOSIEC has fixed a date for the election without formal consultation with us as a political party and stakeholder,” Ogga said. “The commission’s actions suggest a deliberate attempt to favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the expense of our party, which is the preferred political platform in the state.”
Ogga stated that the party has not received any formal correspondence from KOSIEC regarding the election guidelines, timetable, or modalities.
He warned that if the commission fails to address the party’s concerns, ADC will seek legal action to enforce its rights to participate in the poll.
“We will not hesitate to approach the court to protect our party’s interests,” Ogga said. “We urge our supporters to remain calm and law-abiding as we explore all available options to ensure a fair and transparent election.”
The ADC chairman appealed to the public to stay vigilant and await further updates from the party.
