The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken a neutral stance in the leadership tussle between David Mark and Nafiu Bala over the leadership of the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ADC). In a statement, former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, SAN, urged ADC members not to panic, describing INEC's position as a standard "wait and see" approach. Malami said the commission's decision to withhold recognition of either faction until the courts determine the rightful leadership is consistent with established political practice. He advised party members to remain calm and allow due process to run its course. The internal conflict within the ADC intensified after both Mark and Bala claimed to have won the party's national convention. Malami, who supports the David Mark faction, emphasized that judicial intervention is the proper channel for resolving such disputes. No date has been given for when INEC might recognize a winning faction.
Abubakar Malami's public defense of David Mark's claim exposes the influence of legal heavyweight figures in determining party leadership, not grassroots membership. His intervention signals that the ADC's future hinges more on courtroom outcomes than internal democracy. For Nigerian voters, this means party stability often depends on elite legal battles, not ideological clarity or popular support. When INEC waits, power shifts to lawyers, not voters.
