The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded a public apology, a full refund, and ₦100 million in damages from Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments, Abuja, after the hotel abruptly cancelled a major coalition unveiling event less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.
In a statement issued by the party’s legal counsel, Kabiru Abdullahi, the ADC described the hotel's action as “unprofessional, disruptive, and suspicious,” especially at a time when public interest in the opposition coalition is surging nationwide.
According to Abdullahi, the party had paid a total of ₦6,063,000 for the venue and catering services. The agreement had been formally documented with an invoice, and preparations were already underway—until just before midnight on July 1, when the hotel abruptly pulled out, citing an “internal compliance matter.”
“We paid you, and you gave us an invoice, then we went back to our businesses, preparing for the event, only for them to call some minutes before midnight,” Abdullahi said. “It’s because of ‘internal compliance’? That’s no explanation.”
In a message sent to the ADC, the hotel stated:
“We sincerely regret to inform you that due to an internal compliance matter that has just come to our attention, we are unable to proceed with hosting your scheduled event… and we deeply apologize for the timing and inconvenience this may cause.”
The ADC said the last-minute cancellation forced it into an emergency search for a new venue—leading to unplanned costs, logistical setbacks, and embarrassment.
“The venue couldn’t even contain the participants. They caused us so much inconvenience and embarrassment,” Abdullahi noted.
Now a key player in the growing opposition coalition, the ADC hinted that the hotel’s action may have been politically motivated, given the timing and scale of interest surrounding the event.
“We sent them a letter demanding a refund of our money, an apology, and the sum of ₦100 million as damages. If they don’t comply, we’ll meet in court. It’s as simple as that,” Abdullahi said.
According to party insiders, the cancelled event sparked a massive wave of online interest, with the ADC’s official website crashing three times in 48 hours due to unusually high traffic—a sign of rising support for the opposition movement.