The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by David Mark, that President Bola Tinubu is plotting a one-party state with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). At a press conference on Friday, the APC called the allegations baseless and a misrepresentation of legal facts. It attributed ADC's current challenges to internal leadership disputes, tracing the crisis to an "untidy" leadership takeover that excluded major stakeholders and led to litigation. The Federal High Court case later moved to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, where the appeal was dismissed over procedural flaws, including lack of required leave for an interlocutory appeal and premature filing amid unresolved jurisdictional issues. The court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo and awarded costs against the appellants. The APC defended INEC's refusal to recognise any ADC faction, stating it followed the court's directive. It dismissed calls for the removal of INEC's chairman and commissioners as unconstitutional. The APC criticised the ADC faction's plan to hold congresses despite ongoing litigation, calling it a "clear disregard for the rule of law" and a form of "self-help" that risks nullification by the courts. The ruling party dismissed claims of political suppression ahead of 2027 as "fallacious propaganda," noting the president cannot deregister parties. It cited ADC's poor electoral performance, including in FCT local government polls, and urged the party to resolve its internal crises.
David Mark's ADC is in crisis, but the blame game won't fix it. The Court of Appeal has already ruled against his faction's appeal on procedural grounds, and INEC is only following judicial orders. For Nigerian voters, this signals that party instability—no matter the name or leader—will continue to erode political relevance. Electoral credibility, not courtroom losses or public outbursts, determines real opposition strength.
