By Amah
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Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has escalated its intervention in the crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), formally removing the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official records as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.
The decision marks a significant turning point in a festering leadership dispute that has plunged the ADC into uncertainty, with multiple factions laying claim to its national structure. INEC also made it clear that it will not recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to emerge as national chairman through judicial pronouncement.
In a move that effectively paralyses the party’s formal operations, the Commission announced that it has suspended recognition of all factions within the ADC and will refrain from monitoring any conventions, congresses, or activities organised by any of the contending groups.
The freeze, according to INEC, will remain in force pending the final determination of a substantive suit before the Federal High Court.
The crisis, which has steadily intensified in recent months, took a more complex turn, following a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Suit No. CA/ABJ/145/2026, further entrenching divisions within the party and prompting conflicting interpretations by rival camps.
INEC disclosed that it has been inundated with opposing legal demands. One, a letter dated March 16, 2026, from Suleiman Usman SAN & Co, cautioned the Commission against recognising Gombe as acting national chairman while legal proceedings are ongoing. Another, a “Demand for Enforcement” from Summit Law Chambers representing Gombe, urged the Commission to expunge the names of Mark and Aregbesola and to cease all official dealings with them.
Faced with this legal crossfire, INEC said it has opted for strict neutrality. Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, stated that the Commission’s actions are guided by the need to uphold due process and avoid actions that could prejudice ongoing judicial proceedings.
The Commission also warned political stakeholders against actions capable of undermining preparations for the 2027 general elections, stressing that internal party disputes must not be allowed to disrupt the broader electoral process.
With INEC stepping back from all official engagement with the party, the ADC now finds itself in institutional limbo, its leadership structure unrecognised, its activities effectively halted, and its political future hanging on the outcome of court proceedings.
The unfolding situation underscores the high stakes of internal party democracy in Nigeria and the far-reaching consequences when leadership battles spill into prolonged legal confrontations.
