The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State descended into disarray on Saturday as two separate congresses were held simultaneously, resulting in the election of two competing state executives. At one event, Maj. Gen. Rtd. Chris Eze was elected as state chairman, while at the other, Prof. Austine Akulue was elected to the same position. The rival gatherings took place at different locations in Enugu, each claiming legitimacy as the official state congress. Members of both factions asserted they had backing from the national leadership, though the national party office did not issue a statement to clarify the situation. The split has created confusion within the party's ranks and raised questions about internal coordination ahead of upcoming elections. Neither faction provided detailed information on the process or delegates involved. The dual congresses suggest a breakdown in party unity, with no immediate resolution in sight.
The emergence of two ADC state chairmen in Enugu—Maj. Gen. Rtd. Chris Eze and Prof. Austine Akulue—exposes a deeper rot in the party's internal governance, where personal ambition appears to outweigh institutional coherence. That two high-profile figures could simultaneously claim leadership mandates from the same party in one state signals a collapse of due process, not just a disagreement.
This fracture did not occur in a vacuum. The ADC, like many smaller parties in Nigeria, operates with weak internal democracy and opaque funding channels, making it vulnerable to power grabs, especially as election cycles approach. The lack of a clarifying statement from the national leadership further suggests either complicity or an inability to enforce party rules—both damaging to public trust. When party structures become arenas for personal contests, the platform's original ideology becomes irrelevant.
Ordinary ADC members and voters in Enugu State are the immediate casualties. They now face a leadership crisis that could disqualify the party from contesting elections in the state if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refuses to recognise either faction. Aspirants aligned with either camp may withdraw or defect, weakening the party's chances and limiting voter choice.
This is not an isolated incident but part of a recurring pattern across Nigeria's political landscape, where parties at the margins splinter under the weight of unresolved succession and unregulated internal politics.
