The African Democratic Congress (ADC) faces deepening turmoil ahead of the 2027 general elections, as internal leadership disputes and legal setbacks threaten its recognition and cohesion. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has de-recognised the faction led by interim national chairman David Mark and national secretary Rauf Aregbesola, citing a Court of Appeal order. INEC stated it will no longer engage with any group claiming to represent the party until the Federal High Court in Abuja resolves the leadership dispute. The electoral body also removed Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal. Mohammed Haruna, INEC's National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, said the move was necessary to avoid interfering with ongoing judicial proceedings. The party now has three splinter groups, including one led by Nafiu Bala, while the Mark-led faction insists its leadership remains valid. Bolaji Abdullahi, the party's Publicity Secretary, claimed the Court of Appeal's decision was procedural and did not settle the substantive leadership issue. Meanwhile, former ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu, who was expelled, has publicly denounced the party's current state, calling it "political suicide and bad market." He accused former leaders like Ralph Nwosu of allowing disgruntled politicians to hijack the party.
David Mark's de-recognition by INEC is not just a procedural blow—it exposes the fragility of political platforms built on borrowed momentum rather than institutional depth. The ADC, once seen as a viable alternative for anti-APC forces, now reveals how quickly a party can unravel when personal ambitions override structural integrity. Mark, a former Senate President, and Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor, carry weight, but their leadership is now legally unrecognised, rendering their influence within the party null in the eyes of the electoral commission.
The party's collapse did not happen overnight. It followed a pattern common in Nigerian politics: the recruitment of high-profile defectors without resolving foundational governance. The claim by Kachikwu that "gate-crashers" hijacked the ADC points to a deeper issue—parties being treated as vehicles for individual ambition rather than ideological movements. The Court of Appeal's order to maintain the status quo until the Federal High Court rules means no faction can legally conduct primaries or conventions, freezing the party's 2027 plans.
Ordinary ADC members and grassroots supporters stand to lose the most. Without a recognised leadership, the party cannot field candidates, access campaign funds, or mobilise effectively. Voters who backed the ADC in 2023 as a fresh alternative now face disillusionment. The delay in judicial resolution further entrenches uncertainty, weakening opposition cohesion ahead of 2027.
This is not an isolated crisis. It mirrors the fate of past opposition parties like the SDP and ACCORD, which collapsed under internal strife. The ADC's implosion suggests that without internal democracy and legal clarity, even the most promising political movements can vanish before the ballot.
