The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed accusations by the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is orchestrating a one-party state by undermining opposition leadership. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, APC National Secretary Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, alongside National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, stated that the ADC's current crisis stems from internal mismanagement and court rulings, not presidential interference. The APC maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted within the law by withholding recognition of either ADC faction pending resolution of ongoing litigation. Basiru emphasized that court decisions remain binding until overturned by a competent court.
The David Mark faction had accused INEC of unlawfully withdrawing recognition of their leadership, claiming the commission misinterpreted a Court of Appeal order to maintain the status quo ante bellum. In response, the APC described the faction's planned congress and national convention without INEC approval as "illegality." Basiru cited the APC's own loss of seats in Zamfara State due to internal disputes, saying the rule of law applied equally to all parties. The ruling party also rejected calls by the ADC faction for the removal of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, calling the demand a sign of misunderstanding constitutional processes.
Senator David Mark's defiance of court rulings exposes a double standard common among political veterans who demand institutional respect when it suits them but ignore it when it doesn't. His faction's attempt to hold an INEC-free convention is not bold resistance—it's a scripted farce that undermines the very democratic norms opposition figures claim to defend. When courts have already ruled on pending litigation, any parallel process only deepens internal rot, not legitimacy. For Nigerians, this means more political theatrics without the substance of accountable leadership.
