ADC demands N100m in damages over last-minute event cancellation by Wells Carlton Hotel

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened legal action against Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments, located in Asokoro, Abuja, for abruptly cancelling a fully paid venue reservation less than 24 hours before the party’s coalition unveiling event.

According to the party’s legal representative, Kabiru Abdullahi, the hotel’s action not only breached a binding agreement but also caused the ADC significant embarrassment, inconvenience, and financial loss.

The event, scheduled for July 2 at 2 p.m., was abruptly cancelled by the hotel late on July 1 — just minutes before midnight.

The hotel, in a message to the organizers, cited an unspecified “internal compliance matter” as the reason for the cancellation.

“We were given full assurance that the venue was secured. An invoice was issued, and payment of N6,063,000 was made, covering the venue and refreshments. But they waited until just hours before the event to call and cancel,” Abdullahi explained.

“This is unacceptable and unprofessional.

“They offered no further explanation beyond ‘internal compliance.’”

The cancellation forced the party into a last-minute scramble to find an alternative venue, incurring additional expenses and facing logistical challenges that disrupted the planned event.

In a formal letter to Wells Carlton, the ADC is demanding a full refund of the N6 million paid, a public apology, and N100 million in damages.

Abdullahi warned that if the hotel fails to meet these demands, the party will proceed with legal action.

“They threw us into a frantic situation. We had to quickly find another venue, spend more on refreshments, and accommodate a larger crowd than the new venue could hold.

“The damage was both reputational and financial,” he said.

As of now, Wells Carlton Hotel has not publicly responded to the allegations or the legal demands.