The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has defied the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by proceeding with its planned congresses, a move the presidency has labeled as "lawless." Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga made the remark in response to a statement signed by ADC national publicity secretary Bolaji Abdullahi and national organising secretary Chinedu Idigo, which confirmed the party's intention to hold the congresses despite INEC's actions. The electoral commission had removed David Mark as national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, acting on a Court of Appeal ruling. INEC's decision triggered the ADC's defiance, with the party accusing the commission of operating under the influence of President Bola Tinubu. Onanuga dismissed the party's stance on X, stating, "Just continue your illegality, the lawless ADC," and adding, "The dog that wants to get lost in the forest will ignore the hunter's whistle." The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) supported INEC's position, saying the ADC should have been deregistered for prolonging internal disputes and shifting blame.
Bayo Onanuga's sharp rebuke of the ADC exposes the deepening friction between the presidency and parties challenging INEC's authority. The ADC's insistence on holding congresses after losing its leadership in court reveals a party betting on political defiance over institutional compliance. With David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola still fronting the party's narrative, their legal setback may now serve more as a rallying point than a resolution. For Nigerian voters, this signals that party crises will continue to play out in public, not in courts or boardrooms.
