ADC Party Leaders, Others Protest to INEC Office in Abuja.
The leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday staged a protest in Abuja, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias in its handling of the party’s...
The leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday staged a protest in Abuja, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias in its handling of the party’s internal leadership crisis.
The demonstration comes amid tensions between the opposition party and the electoral body over the recognition of its leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among those leading the protest were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Senate President David Mark.
Other prominent figures at the protest included former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, electoral reform advocate Peter Randy-Akaah, and other party supporters.
Announcing the protest on his verified social media accounts, Atiku described the action as peaceful and necessary to defend Nigeria’s democratic process.
He wrote, “Myself and other leaders of the ADC are peacefully protesting against the partisanship of the electoral umpire. Our patriotic stance is aimed at safeguarding our democracy and preventing the enthronement of a dictatorship.”
The ADC allegedly accused INEC of siding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a manner that could hinder its chances of fielding candidates, an allegation the commission has denied, insisting it is acting strictly within the law.
INEC and Underlying Issues in ADC
The crisis began after INEC removed the names of David Mark, listed as national chairman, and Rauf Aregbesola, national secretary, from its official portal, citing a ruling of the Court of Appeal.
The judgment stems from unresolved issues within the ADC party’s leadership. A faction led by Muhammed Ibrahim Bala, a former deputy national vice chairman, rejected the July 2025 ratification of Mark as national chairman, arguing that he should have assumed the role following the resignation of the party’s previous executive committee.
Bala subsequently approached the court, seeking an injunction to restrain Mark and members of his National Working Committee (NWC) from parading themselves as party leaders.
He also asked the court to compel INEC to recognise him as the acting national chairman and to stop the commission from dealing with Mark’s faction.
On September 4, 2025, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an ex parte motion directing the respondents, including INEC, to show cause why the reliefs sought should not be granted. Bala later filed another motion seeking to halt any party conventions, congresses, or meetings and to restrain INEC from recognising such activities pending the determination of the suit.
However, Mark challenged the order at the Court of Appeal on December 18, 2025, questioning the lower court’s jurisdiction. In its judgement delivered on March 12, 2026, the appellate court dismissed the appeal and issued preservatory orders.
INEC, in response to the dispute, disclosed that it had received multiple correspondence from legal representatives of the rival factions, each laying claim to the party’s leadership and issuing conflicting demands. The commission maintained that the subsisting orders of the Court of Appeal guided its actions.
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