The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has blamed the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the crisis in the party after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ordered the removal of the names of the ADC National Working Committee (NWC) led by Senator David Mark from its official portal.
This is coming as a huge blow to the coalition-backed ADC nine months to the 2027 presidential election and at a time the main opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is witnessing a surge of high-profile defections to its fold, boosting ADC’s chances ahead of the general elections.
Announcing this in a statement on Wednesday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said after removing the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official portal as National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC respectively, it would not also recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to be declared national chairman through the courts, insisting that doing so would prejudice the matter before the court.
The commission said it is suspending all dealings with contending factions of the party, pending the determination of an ongoing suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja and will refrain from monitoring any conventions or congresses organised by groups aligned with the affected leaders.
INEC said its decision follows the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 involving Senator David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe, as well as a flurry of conflicting legal communications from both camps over the party’s leadership. INEC said it would maintain the “status quo ante bellum”, the situation as it existed before the suit was filed on September 2, 2025, in line with the appellate court’s preservatory orders aimed at protecting the integrity of the substantive case.
But the ADC, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, has rejected INEC’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling, alleging that the electoral body acted under pressure from a government panicked by the opposition momentum despite its efforts to destroy all opposition parties and foist a one-party rule on Nigeria.
The party described INEC’s position as contradictory and inconsistent with facts, insisting that it would publicly clarify these issues, while warning that the commission has effectively sided with the government against Nigerians.
ADC said it is currently reviewing its options and will announce its next steps soon, urging its members and the public to remain steadfast as events unfold.
The statement said: “We reject INEC’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling. We knew that INEC was being pressured by a government that had become jittery from the ADC’s rising momentum even in the face of its relentless assault on all opposition parties.
“INEC’s press statement is full of contradictions that fly in the face of both facts and reason. We shall clarify these contradictions for all to see. What is clear, however, is that INEC has caved to pressure and has chosen to side with the government against the Nigerian people. We are currently reviewing our options, and we shall make these known soon.”
The ADC crisis stems from a leadership tussle within the party following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Okey Nwosu, and other executive members in July 2025, which paved the way for the emergence of a new NWC led by Mark.
However, Gombe, who served as Vice National Chairman, challenged the development, arguing that he never resigned and should automatically assume leadership of the party in line with its constitution. He subsequently approached the Federal High Court seeking, among others, an order restraining INEC from recognising Mark’s leadership and directing INEC to acknowledge him as acting chairman.
While the matter was pending, Mark’s camp filed an interlocutory appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court. But in its March 12, 2026, judgment, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, warning against actions that could undermine the pending proceedings. The appellate court also directed an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit, citing the proximity of the 2027 general election timetable.
INEC disclosed that it received separate letters dated March 16, 2026, from lawyers representing both factions. While the law firm of Suleiman Usman (SAN) urged the commission not to recognise Gombe as acting chairman due to the pending suit, Summit Law Chambers, representing Gombe, demanded enforcement of the Court of Appeal judgment.
The commission, however, reaffirmed its commitment to neutrality, impartiality, and adherence to the rule of law, urging political actors to avoid actions that can undermine the electoral process.
