The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of resorting to emotional blackmail in its internal leadership dispute. In a post on X, Keyamo stated that the faction was attempting to use emotional reasoning to sidestep a legal challenge initiated by the party's duly elected Deputy National Chairman. He emphasized that court decisions are based on facts, evidence, and legal interpretation, not sentiment. Keyamo dismissed arguments referencing the political situation before the conflict as irrelevant, calling them distractions from the real issue.
A legal case over the party's leadership remains pending in court. Keyamo warned that any actions taken by either ADC faction before the resolution could be nullified after the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) deadline for candidate nominations. This raises the possibility that the ADC may not field a candidate in the upcoming election. He described INEC's decision to suspend recognition of both factions as a necessary step that pressures the party to resolve its crisis. Keyamo ruled out external interference by the All Progressives Congress (APC) or INEC, stating that party members made their choices without coercion. He noted that the David Mark faction's plan to proceed with congresses and conventions, despite court and INEC positions, is a decision for which they alone will bear the consequences. "Never stop your opponent from making a mistake," Keyamo added.
David Mark's faction treating a legal battle like a public relations campaign exposes a dangerous miscalculation. By leaning on emotion instead of the courtroom, they risk the ADC's entire electoral relevance. The party's potential exclusion from the ballot isn't a government plot—it's the direct result of ignoring due process. When the nomination deadline passes, it won't be INEC or the APC that answers for this, but the faction now banking on theatrics.
