Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), once considered a rising force in Nigeria’s opposition politics, has plunged deeper into internal turmoil with the emergence of a new faction that has formally dissociated itself from both the Senator David Mark‑led coalition and claims to party leadership by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe. The announcement on Tuesday from Abuja marks the latest chapter in a leadership struggle that has embroiled the party in legal battles, competing authority claims, and questions about its capacity to participate coherently in the looming 2027 general elections.
At a media briefing held in the Federal Capital Territory, a group identifying itself as the genuine National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ADC, led by Don Norman Obinna, laid out a series of determinations challenging the legitimacy of rival leadership structures currently bedevilling the party. The faction insists that the tenure of former national chairman Ralph Nwosu — whose controversial handover of party control to a David Mark‑backed coalition in July 2025 ignited the dispute — expired in August 2022, and that subsequent actions taken in the party’s name were unconstitutional. This faction has rejected the authority of both Senator Mark’s camp and Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, whom it says has no lawful claim or status within the party.
Mr. Obinna told journalists that the group views the alleged transfer of leadership to the Mark coalition as illegal, asserting that neither Mark nor Gombe can legitimately speak for the ADC. He further reaffirmed the position of 2023 ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu as a bona fide party member and stated that the faction intends to convene a national convention to elect a new party leadership. In the meantime, interim leadership appointments have reportedly been made to oversee the day‑to‑day functioning of the party until the proposed convention takes place.
The schism originated from a highly contested leadership transition in mid‑2025. In July of that year, the ADC’s National Working Committee (NWC) held a meeting that produced former Senate President David Mark as interim national chairman, a move that was recognised at the time by INEC officials present at the event. Shortly thereafter, former deputy national chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe contested the validity of the takeover, declaring himself acting national chairman and initiating legal action to restrain Mark’s administration and seek official recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). That confrontation spawned a series of court filings and counter‑claims that have left the party’s leadership status in a state of limbo.
In early April 2026, INEC moved to derecognise both the Mark‑led faction and the Bala faction, citing a March 12 Court of Appeal order that directed all parties involved in the dispute to maintain the status quo ante bellum while proceedings continue in the Federal High Court. This procedural stance effectively stripped both groups of official recognition and left the party without a clear leadership structure as it prepares to engage in critical electoral preparations. INEC’s official statement said it would no longer accept correspondence from either camp nor monitor the activities of their meetings until judicial determination is made.
The ADC’s youth wing responded to INEC’s announcement with a vocal protest threat, issuing a 72‑hour ultimatum for the electoral body to reinstate recognition of the David Mark‑led leadership that emerged in July 2025. Youth leaders argued that INEC’s derecognition undermined the party’s internal processes and democratic norms, pointing to the commission’s earlier monitoring and documentation of the NEC meeting that produced Mark’s leadership. They described INEC’s shift as detrimental to the party’s ability to contest future elections.
Parallel to these developments, grassroots elements within the party have also taken issue with claims by Nafiu Bala. In Gombe State, the ADC Youth Network issued a 48‑hour ultimatum demanding that Bala formally confirm his resignation from the party or relinquish his claims to leadership, highlighting deep frustration at the persistence of competing authority claims and what they see as actions that damage the party’s credibility and unity. Youth leaders accused Bala of inconsistency, misrepresentation, and undermining democratic values within the ADC.
The broader implications of this internal feud extend beyond mere organisational dysfunction. The ADC entered the 2025‑2026 period with significant momentum, attracting high‑profile defectors and positioning itself as a potential alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has publicly commented on the crisis, suggesting that vested interests are attempting to derail the party’s rise and warning that external interference has exacerbated internal tensions. Atiku’s remarks specifically referenced a factional chairman, implied to be Bala, operating with unusual privileges, raising questions about the influence of external political forces within the ADC’s internal affairs.
Political analysts have highlighted that the derecognition of party leadership by INEC, coupled with the multiplicity of competing factions, threatens the ADC’s ability to operate effectively in the run‑up to the 2027 general elections. Observers worry that if the leadership dispute is not resolved swiftly — either through judicial determination or a consensual internal settlement — the party could miss crucial deadlines for candidate nominations, thereby undermining its electoral viability. The situation adds a layer of uncertainty to Nigeria’s broader political landscape at a time when opposition realignment and strategic positioning are critical.
Legal maneuvers continue to play a central role. Bala’s initial court filings in September 2025 sought to compel INEC to recognise his claim and to prohibit the Mark‑led leadership from acting in the party’s name. David Mark, for his part, appealed the Federal High Court’s jurisdictional dismissal — a move that was itself rejected by the Court of Appeal in March 2026, which further mandated a preservation of the pre‑crisis status. These rulings have created a legal impasse where no faction holds unequivocal authority recognised by the country’s electoral regulator.
As it stands, the ADC’s internal conflict has far‑reaching consequences not only for its immediate organisational health but also for Nigeria’s democratic multi‑party system. The party’s claimed rise in legislative representation and its roster of prominent figures suggested a potentially robust challenge to the political establishment. Yet without clear leadership and strategic coherence, its capacity to engage the electorate and field candidates effectively in 2027 remains precarious. The emergence of the new Don Norman Obinna‑led faction could either add fresh impetus toward resolving the crisis through a convention and renewed mandate or deepen existing divisions if its actions are not accepted by the competing camps or recognised by the courts and INEC.
The ADC’s next course of action, particularly the scheduling and legitimisation of a national convention, will critically shape its future role in Nigerian politics. For now, the party remains in a state of fragmentation, with its leadership crisis unresolved and its electoral prospects hanging in the balance.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments