ADC Demands ₦100 Million Compensation After Abuja Hotel Wells Carlton Hotel Cancels Booking Less Than 24 Hours to Event

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is preparing legal action against Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Asokoro, Abuja, over the abrupt cancellation of a ₦6 million venue reservation. The political party is demanding a full refund along with ₦100 million in damages, claiming the hotel’s action not only disrupted their event but also subjected them to embarrassment and unnecessary logistical setbacks.

According to Kabiru Abdullahi, legal counsel for ADC, the hotel’s decision to cancel the fully paid reservation came at an extremely inconvenient time. Just before midnight on July 1, barely a day before the scheduled coalition unveiling event, Wells Carlton notified the party’s event organizers, People and Passion Consult Limited, that the event could no longer hold at the venue.

The cancellation was reportedly communicated via a brief message, citing an internal compliance issue. For Mr Abdullahi, this explanation was not only vague but also unacceptable, given that the hotel had already confirmed availability, issued an invoice, and collected full payment totaling ₦6,063,000.

Efforts to salvage the situation sent the ADC scrambling for an alternative venue at the eleventh hour. The new arrangements, according to the party, fell short of expectations, particularly in terms of capacity and service quality. The resulting chaos, cost overruns, and perceived reputational damage have now culminated in a strong legal threat.

“The hotel’s conduct amounts to a blatant breach of contract,” Mr Abdullahi said, voicing the frustration of the party. “They issued us a guarantee, received payment in full, and waited until less than 24 hours to back out without a valid explanation. That’s not just irresponsible, it’s damaging.”

The lawyer further noted that the party incurred additional expenses to accommodate guests and provide refreshments at a backup venue, which was sourced under intense time pressure. According to him, these unplanned costs, combined with the stress of reorganizing a major political event on short notice, have justified the ₦100 million compensation demand.

ADC has formally communicated its grievances to the hotel in a letter demanding immediate refund of the initial payment, a public apology, and financial reparation. Failure to comply with these terms, Mr Abdullahi warned, would lead to litigation.

“They left us to clean up the mess,” he added. “We had to find another venue quickly and cover the gaps they created. The location we eventually settled for couldn’t hold the number of participants we had planned for. That alone led to more embarrassment than anyone should deal with, especially on such an important day for the party.”

The hotel’s message of cancellation, which Mr Abdullahi cited in detail, expressed regret and acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the short notice. Yet, for ADC, mere regret is not enough. The party insists that consequences must follow, both for accountability and to prevent similar disruptions from happening to other clients.

Observers familiar with contractual obligations in the hospitality industry believe the party may have a strong case if the matter proceeds to court. While internal compliance issues may be legitimate, they typically do not absolve service providers from financial liability, especially when cancellation occurs after full payment and near the scheduled date.

So far, Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments has not issued any public statement regarding the controversy. Attempts to reach management for comment have yielded no response as of press time.

With mounting pressure and public interest in the outcome, all eyes are on whether the hotel will choose to settle the matter privately or prepare to defend its actions in court. For the ADC, the incident has become a rallying point not just for legal justice, but also for calling out what they view as an unacceptable disregard for clients who place trust and resources in high-end service providers.

As political activities intensify across the country, the role of logistics and dependable partnerships cannot be overstated. This incident, though centered on one event, may spark broader conversations about reliability in the hospitality industry, especially as it intersects with politics and public trust.