Top ADC positions: Three opposing factions engage in high-stakes struggle for control

The African Democratic Congress is embroiled in a deepening leadership crisis, with three rival factions vying for control of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, in a struggle that insiders describe as a fierce "winner-takes-all" battle.

At the center of the conflict are factions loyal to David Mark, Nafiu Gombe, and former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu, alongside his ally Kingsley Temitope Ogga, each accusing the other of illegality, impunity, and hijacking party structures.

Leaders of the Senator Mark-led leadership have accused the presidency and the All Progressives Congress of backing the Nafiu Gombe and Kachikwu camps, allegedly to pave the way for President Bola Tinubu's re-election, with a spokesperson questioning how someone like Gombe could disown a process he was part of.

Nafiu Gombe has countered that he did not resign as deputy national chairman and is now the acting chairman, following the resignation of Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, as the APC and the presidency have also criticized the Mark-led team for not resolving their internal issues.

A presidency source noted that the Mark-led team was to blame for their problems, saying "after selling the ADC, the sellers failed to carry all top stakeholders along, now they are blaming the presidency."

The crisis has escalated into a fight between old allies, with the situation further complicated by a court order barring congresses and conventions, which one faction is accused of violating.

On April 14, 2026, a Federal High Court in Abuja directed all parties in the dispute to maintain the status quo, halting any congresses or conventions pending the determination of suits bordering on the party's leadership, an order that has ignited a fresh storm.

Kachikwu has described the Mark-led camp's actions as "a show of political gangsterism" aimed at provoking chaos, warning that such actions could destabilize not just the party but the polity, and accusing members of the rival bloc of "playing politics with the blood of innocent Nigerians."

The Mark-led leadership has dismissed the criticisms, insisting that its emergence and actions were firmly rooted in the party's constitution, and that the July 29, 2025, formation of its Caretaker/Interim National Working Committee followed due process and was ratified by the National Executive Committee.

The faction argues that the National Executive Committee possesses the constitutional authority to administer the party, implement convention decisions, and establish interim structures where necessary, and that any eligibility requirements were lawfully waived through NEC resolutions earlier in 2025.

The Gombe-led faction has rejected the entire process, describing it as unconstitutional and void, and accusing Mark and his allies of not meeting the basic eligibility requirements for national office, particularly the mandatory two-year membership rule and ward-level registration.

The Kachikwu/Temitope bloc has rejected both the Mark and Gombe factions, arguing that neither camp emerged through a constitutionally recognized process, and accusing both of violating key provisions relating to membership eligibility and party administration.

The ADC now effectively operates as three parallel parties, each with its own leadership, structures, and narrative of legitimacy, with political observers saying the crisis reflects deeper fault lines over control, ideology, and the party's role in emerging opposition coalitions.

Kachikwu has stated that the stakes go beyond internal supremacy, saying "men with abysmal records in public service now claim to be on a rescue mission, but it is a mission to rescue their personal economies."

As the legal tussle drags on and internal reconciliation efforts falter, concerns are mounting over the party's viability as a credible opposition platform ahead of the next general polls, with court orders hanging, expulsions flying, and conventions disputed.

The ADC's battle appears far from over, a high-stakes contest where, as one insider puts it, "everyone wants the party, but no one wants to lose," with all eyes on the Supreme Court, which will look at the leadership tussle on Wednesday.