APC Calls for Due Process in ADC Leadership Dispute
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to adhere to due process and avoid misleading Nigerians regarding the ongoing leadership dispute within the party. This appeal came as APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, addressed journalists in Abuja on Friday. He also dismissed calls for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, and the INEC commissioners.
Basiru described the demands for Amupitan’s removal as undemocratic and a clear disregard for the constitutional procedures governing the electoral body. The call for his removal was seen as an attempt to undermine the integrity of the commission, which is responsible for maintaining the status quo during legal proceedings.
INEC’s Role in the ADC Crisis
INEC recently announced the removal of prominent ADC figures, including Mark as the National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the National Secretary of the party. The decision was made in accordance with a court directive that required the commission to maintain the status quo pending the trial court’s final decision. This move was intended to ensure that no new leadership could be recognized until the matter was resolved legally.
The ADC has been grappling with a leadership crisis since 2025, following the emergence of a new National Working Committee led by Mark in July of that year. The dispute originated from disagreements over the tenure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, whose term officially ended in August 2022. Despite this, Nwosu reportedly played a role in the 2025 leadership transition, which triggered opposition from some factions within the party.
Internal Conflicts and Legal Battles
The rift deepened as rival groups laid claim to the party’s leadership, leading to multiple legal battles and growing uncertainty within the ADC. Fears have mounted that the crisis could affect the party’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections. Mark and the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, had previously alleged that the APC and President Bola Tinubu were responsible for their predicament.
However, Basiru absolved Tinubu and the APC from the ADC crisis, stating it was self-inflicted. He emphasized that the current situation of Mark and his faction resulted from the “untidy way” they hijacked the leadership of an existing political party without involving all stakeholders. This led to court litigation and an adverse judgment from the Court of Appeal, upon which INEC based its decision not to recognize any of the two contending parties for the leadership of the ADC.
Recklessness and Lack of Respect for the Law
Basiru criticized the Mark-led ADC leadership for what he described as a “public defiant posture” against the orders of the Court of Appeal and its implementation by INEC. He argued that such actions amount to self-help and recklessness, exposing a lack of seriousness and understanding of established institutional processes.
He further stated that if the Mark-led ADC disagrees with INEC’s interpretation, it should pursue redress through the courts. INEC has maintained that it is acting in compliance with the Court of Appeal’s directive to preserve the status quo ante bellum. Basiru emphasized that court decisions are binding on all parties until set aside by a competent court.
Blaming Others Won’t Fix Internal Issues
The APC national secretary added that the ADC must confront a hard truth: blaming other parties will not resolve its internal crises. He noted that no amount of external finger-pointing can erase the party’s consistent failures or address its lingering leadership issues. Basiru warned that it is wishful thinking to assume that other political parties will step in to rescue them from problems they have repeatedly failed to manage.
ADC Faction Denies External Funding Allegations
Meanwhile, the ADC faction led by Nafiu Bala has denied allegations that it is being funded by Tinubu or the APC. The camp, which has been locked in a protracted tussle with the Mark-led National Working Committee, said claims of external backing are baseless and aimed at discrediting its struggle for control of the party’s structure.
Bala’s Chief of Staff, Bala Sani, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, accused coalition figures within the party of attempting to hijack its legacy structure. He emphasized that the faction is the true legacy members of the ADC, having built the party for more than 20 years before others joined. Sani claimed that when these individuals arrived, they sought to chase out the original members, but the faction refused to comply.
He expressed frustration with the accusations, stating that no one has provided proof that the faction is being bankrolled by the Presidency or the APC ruling government. “We are the ones taking care of ourselves,” he concluded.
