The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State will proceed with its scheduled ward, local government, and state congresses on April 9 and April 11 respectively, despite ongoing national-level litigation affecting the party. State Chairman Leader Sampson announced the decision at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, stating the move follows directives from the national leadership led by David Mark. He affirmed the Rivers chapter's unity, insisting there is no internal faction, and confirmed that all congresses will hold across over 6,000 units. The party said it has fulfilled all procedural obligations, including timely notification to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Sampson rejected concerns about the national disputes, maintaining that the party operates within legal bounds. He accused INEC of deliberately excluding ADC from participating in a recent Rivers State bye-election, calling it an interference in the party's affairs. The chairman warned that such actions threaten democratic integrity. He also alleged that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is attempting to weaken opposition parties. Despite these challenges, ADC executives from local governments expressed confidence in a peaceful and credible process.
Leader Sampson's insistence on unity within the ADC Rivers State carries weight only because the party's national structure is visibly fracturing—his declaration is less a statement of fact than a defensive posture against a backdrop of institutional chaos. While he names David Mark and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as unifying figures, the very need to invoke them so prominently exposes the fragility of the party's cohesion at the national level, where rival factions are already in court.
The party's accusation against INEC is not new, but it gains traction in Rivers State, where electoral exclusion has long been a political weapon. By pointing to the recent bye-election snub, Sampson taps into a deeper grievance: the perception that smaller parties are systematically sidelined, not by process, but by design. The claim of timely INEC notification—if verifiable—undermines the commission's neutrality, especially when juxtaposed with the party's absence from the ballot.
For grassroots ADC members in Rivers, these congresses are more than procedural—they are a lifeline. Over 6,000 units preparing for participation signals a base eager for political inclusion. If the process unfolds without disruption, it could strengthen local opposition networks often starved of platform and visibility.
This episode fits a broader pattern: as the ruling party consolidates power, the space for credible opposition shrinks, not through overt bans, but through administrative bottlenecks and legal entanglements. The ADC's push, however symbolic, resists that erosion.
