An affidavit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 12, 2025, by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assistant executive officer Jacob Ayuba detailed the commission's stance on a leadership conflict within the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The document was submitted in response to an application by Nafiu Bala, who claimed to be the party's acting national chairman. Bala had filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 on September 2, 2025, seeking to block a rival faction from functioning as party executives. The dispute arose after ADC founder Ralph Nwosu announced the resignation of the national working committee in July 2025 and endorsed an interim leadership led by David Mark, with Rauf Aregbesola named national secretary.
Ayuba's affidavit stated that INEC received a July 4, 2025, letter inviting it to observe an ADC national executive council meeting scheduled for July 29. The venue changed, but INEC officials still monitored the event. A report confirmed that the NEC appointed Mark and Aregbesola, and INEC updated its records accordingly. "The 4th Defendant…uploaded the names of all the National Officers of the Party on its website," the affidavit read, referencing Exhibit 'INEC 3'. It argued that the actions Bala sought to stop had already occurred, making an injunction unenforceable. The commission also maintained that courts should not intervene in internal party matters. The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, ordered all parties to preserve the status quo. On April 1, INEC announced it would suspend engagement with both ADC factions.
Jacob Ayuba's affidavit does not merely report facts—it quietly entrenches INEC's deference to political power plays disguised as internal party processes. By accepting the July 29 meeting outcomes at face value, including the elevation of high-profile figures like David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, the commission effectively validated a leadership change that bypassed due process within the ADC's own constitution, as contested by Nafiu Bala.
The timing and composition of the interim leadership raise questions about elite recycling in Nigerian politics. Ralph Nwosu's unilateral endorsement of Mark, a former senate president, and Aregbesola, a former minister and governor, suggests a pattern where established political heavyweights are inserted into struggling parties, often sidelining elected or constitutionally designated successors. INEC's reliance on a single monitored meeting to justify record updates reveals a shallow verification threshold, especially when the party's internal rules were allegedly breached.
Ordinary ADC members and grassroots supporters lose the most in this scenario. Their party's democratic structures are reduced to procedural formalities that can be overridden by influential figures with institutional access. The April 1 suspension of engagement by INEC further paralyses the party's operations, leaving members in limbo without clear leadership or platform.
This episode fits a broader trend: political parties in Nigeria increasingly serve as vehicles for elite accommodation rather than ideological platforms. Institutional actors like INEC, instead of enforcing compliance, often become passive witnesses to power grabs that undermine internal democracy.
