The African Democratic Congress (ADC) could lose its place on the ballot in upcoming elections due to an unresolved leadership crisis, according to Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. In a social media post, Keyamo warned that legal challenges within the party might disqualify it from participating in future polls. He specifically criticised a faction associated with former Senate President David Mark, accusing it of using "emotional reasoning" rather than legal clarity to assert control. Keyamo stated that only structures recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be acknowledged. He urged ADC members to resolve their disputes within the framework of the law and party guidelines. The crisis has sparked divisions over who legitimately leads the party, with competing claims from different factions. INEC has previously emphasised that parties must maintain verifiable internal democracy to remain on the ballot.
Festus Keyamo's intervention suggests the ADC's internal chaos is now a legal liability, not just a political squabble. With INEC's strict requirements for party recognition, the faction tied to David Mark may find itself on shaky ground if it cannot prove legitimacy through due process. This isn't just about leadership—it's about whether the ADC meets the basic threshold to exist as a contestable political entity. For Nigerian voters, the real cost could be losing a party that once offered an alternative, not from choice, but from administrative collapse.
