Ex-Lawmaker Farah Dagogo Warns of Opposition Disenfranchisement as INEC Delists ADC Faction and Mandates Voter Revalidation

Former Rep Farah Dagogo accuses INEC of partiality following the delisting of the David Mark-led ADC faction and the announcement of a 2026 voter revalidation exercise.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Post Nigeria and official INEC press statements.

The "Coronation" Concern: Dagogo Critiques INEC Neutrality

Farah Dagogo, a former member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, has voiced sharp concerns regarding the impartiality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under its current leadership. Speaking on April 4, 2026, Dagogo argued that the commission's recent regulatory and legal interpretations are steering the 2027 general elections away from a democratic contest and toward a "coronation" of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He pointed to the systematic disarray within the PDP and Labour Party as evidence of a shrinking political space, where the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is now being targeted through administrative bottlenecks.

The David Mark Faction and the "Status Quo" Ruling

Central to the current controversy is INEC's decision to delist the Senator David Mark-led faction of the ADC from its official portal. Following a March 2026 Court of Appeal ruling, INEC announced it would no longer recognize the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC), citing a mandate to return to the status quo ante bellum as it existed in September 2025. Dagogo contends that this interpretation is intentionally narrow, aimed at ensuring the ADC cannot effectively field candidates. However, he warned that such "underhanded maneuvers" typically backfire by strengthening the resolve of an electorate desperate for economic and security reforms.

Voter Revalidation vs. The Electoral Act 2026

Dagogo also raised an alarm over INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan’s announcement of a nationwide voter revalidation exercise scheduled for late 2026. While the newly passed Electoral Act 2026 empowers the commission to update the national register, Dagogo argues that "revalidation"—which requires existing voters to take proactive steps to remain registered—is not a legal requirement. He warned that this shift in responsibility from the commission to the citizen could lead to mass disenfranchisement of marginalized voters, effectively serving the interests of the ruling party by suppressing turnout.