Chieftains of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and David Mark, arrived in Abuja on Thursday for a press conference amid a deepening leadership crisis in the party. The gathering comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, removed David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official records as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively. INEC also stated it would not recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe's bid to be declared national chairman through litigation. The commission has suspended recognition of all ADC factions and will not monitor any party conventions or congresses linked to the contested leadership. This position will stand until a substantive case before the Federal High Court is resolved.
The presence of high-profile politicians like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi at the ADC press conference signals continued interest in a party now officially in political limbo. INEC's suspension of all factions, including those led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe, means no ADC internal process holds weight until the courts decide. This undermines any immediate electoral relevance for the party, regardless of the political weight its figures carry. For Nigerian voters, the ADC saga is less about leadership and more about how electoral regulations can freeze even well-known politicians out of the game.
