The African Democratic Congress (ADC) entered a new phase of its internal power struggle on Thursday when a group headed by Nafiu Bala Gombe entered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja. Gombe arrived with Kogi State House of Representatives member Leke Abejide and a number of supporters, accusing the faction led by former Senate President David Mark of breaching the party's constitution and internal rules.
During the demonstration Gombe told the commission, "We are here to urge INEC to follow due process. You cannot come to the ADC through the window and expect to overturn the owners of the ADC." He warned that "moneybags" should not be allowed to undermine democracy and emphasized that the ADC belongs to members "from the wards to the national level."
Abejide echoed the call, saying the party's charter requires members to spend two years before holding leadership posts and urging INEC to recognise Gombe as ADC chairman in line with court rulings. He added, "We are here to urge INEC to do the right thing and rescue democracy from the hands of usurpers."
INEC National Commissioner Abdullahi Abdu Zuru received a protest letter from the group, confirmed that the petition would be reviewed and thanked the protesters for remaining peaceful. The action was intended to counter a Wednesday rally organised by the Mark‑led bloc, which featured senior politicians such as Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola and Senator Aminu Tambuwal.
Nafiu Bala Gombe's direct appeal to INEC spotlights how the ADC's leadership tussle has spilled into the nation's electoral apparatus, turning a party dispute into a quasi‑legal battle.
The clash pits Gombe's faction, which claims court backing, against David Mark's camp, which has drawn support from former vice president Atiku Abubakar and other heavyweight politicians. By invoking the party constitution and recent rulings, Gombe seeks to force INEC's hand, while the Mark bloc's high‑profile rallies suggest a parallel strategy of political pressure.
For ordinary Nigerians, especially ADC supporters in the north‑central regions, the deadlock threatens to blur candidate choices ahead of upcoming elections, potentially disenfranchising voters who rely on a clear party hierarchy. If INEC delays a decision, local party structures may remain paralyzed, affecting campaign mobilisation and ballot access.
The episode mirrors a broader pattern where intra‑party conflicts are taken to electoral bodies, raising questions about the independence of institutions meant to arbitrate rather than become arenas for partisan battles.
