ADC impasse: Group urges INEC to disqualify Mark, Aregbesola

The African Democratic Congress is embroiled in a bitter leadership dispute, with the Nafiu Bala-led faction seeking to wrest control from the current leadership, prompting Bala to petition the Independent National Electoral Commission to intervene.

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Bala's move comes after he wrote to INEC, requesting that the commission remove former Senate President David Mark and ex-Minister Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Chairman and Secretary of the party, respectively, following a recent court ruling.

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The court case stems from Bala's challenge to the current party leadership, which he claims is illegitimate, and his insistence that he should be the national chairman after the resignation of Ralph Nwosu, the former chairman.

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On September 4, 2025, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja rejected an ex parte motion filed by Bala, who had sought an order directing INEC to derecognise Mark and Aregbesola as the new leaders of the party.

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The judge also directed Mark and Aregbesola to show cause why the injunction should not be granted, putting them on notice to respond to the application, but Mark subsequently filed a notice of appeal on September 18, 2025, challenging the decision on several legal grounds.

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The Court of Appeal, however, dismissed Mark's appeal, registered as CA/ABJ/145/2026, on the grounds that it was procedurally incompetent, having been filed against an interlocutory directive without first obtaining the required leave of court.

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The appellate court, led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, directed the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit before the Federal High Court, paving the way for Bala to approach INEC to recognise him as the national chairman of the ADC.

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Bala, through his counsel, Robert Emukpoeruo, wrote to INEC, urging the commission to uphold the Court of Appeal's decision by ceasing to recognise the leadership of Mark and Aregbesola, and to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

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Emukpoeruo's letter, dated March 16, quoted the Court of Appeal's statement, which reads, "That the parties are hereby directed to maintain the status quo ante bellum and shall refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court."

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Meanwhile, a legal practitioner, Dr Sulaimon Usman, has written to INEC, urging the commission not to entertain Bala's claim, and to refrain from recognising or acting upon any representation seeking to install or recognise any person as Acting National Chairman of the party pending the determination of the suit before the Federal High Court.

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Usman's letter, dated March 16, 2026, argued that the party presently operates under an existing leadership structure which emerged from the NEC meeting monitored by the Commission on July 29, 2025, and which remains the subsisting structure pending the determination of the court proceedings.

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Abdullahi has alleged that certain elements in the Presidency and the APC are mounting pressure on INEC to deregister the Mark-led National Working Committee members, with a view to handing over the party's structure to President Tinubu.

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According to Abdullahi, the plan is to ensure that the ADC is not allowed to produce a presidential candidate, thereby allowing Tinubu to run unopposed in the 2027 presidential election, and that Tinubu is afraid of contesting the election against individuals like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi.

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The National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru, has dismissed the allegation, accusing the ADC of making wild claims instead of addressing its internal crisis, and stating that the Presidency and the APC are not parties to the suit in court.

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Basiru urged the ADC to obey the court decision, even if it intends to appeal, warning that INEC should not be gaslighted into disobeying the court of law, and that the ADC's allegations are irresponsible and lack any factual basis.

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Basiru absolved the party and the Presidency of the ADC crisis, saying that it is not their business, and that the APC is united and stronger, with no interest in the ADC's internal affairs, but emphasizing that the ADC must obey the court of law.