FG Has Refused To Approve A Venue For Our National Convention – ADC

Barely 24 hours to its scheduled national convention, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is still battling to secure an official venue in Abuja, with the party accusing the Federal Government of deliberate frustration through the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike.

Party chieftain and Chairman of the ADC National Convention Media and Publicity Sub-Committee, Kola Ologbondiyan, raised the alarm in a statement on Monday, revealing that despite formal applications and multiple follow-ups, the party remains without a confirmed government-owned facility for the Tuesday, April 14, 2026 event.

According to Ologbondiyan, the ADC wrote to the Office of the FCT Minister seeking permission to use the iconic Eagles Square. The letter was duly acknowledged, he said, but no approval or further communication has been received till date.

In a similar vein, the ADC team made several visits to officials of the Ministry of Sports at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, only to be denied access to the Velodrome on the grounds that the facility was unavailable. To compound the situation, several privately-owned event centres in the FCT have reportedly turned down the party’s requests, citing fears of government harassment in various forms.

The development comes amid earlier reports of last-minute cancellations by venues such as Transcorp Hilton, which had initially been considered for the convention.

However, the ADC remains resolute. Ologbondiyan assured members, teeming supporters and all Nigerians that the national convention will hold as scheduled in Abuja on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in line with the formal notice already served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“ All ADC members, teeming party supporters and indeed all Nigerians are assured that, as contained in the NOTICE issued to INEC, the ADC National Convention will hold in Abuja as scheduled,” the statement emphasised.

In a swift reaction on Monday during an inspection tour of FCT projects, Minister Nyesom Wike dismissed the ADC’s claims as unfounded and an attempt to gain public sympathy. Wike insisted that no formal application was received from the party or any of its factions for the use of Eagles Square, adding that the venue remains open to all organisations that follow due process.

Despite the back-and-forth, the ADC has now unveiled an alternative venue. The party announced that the national convention will now take place at the Rainbow Event Centre, Plot 1193A, Off Southern Parkway, Garki Area 8, Abuja, located behind the FCDA/AGIS Building and close to NTA Headquarters in Area 11.

The development is being closely watched as the ADC positions itself as a major platform for opposition coalition ahead of future elections, with over 3,000 delegates expected to attend the convention where key decisions on the party’s leadership and direction will be taken.