The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State convened a congress on Saturday, 11 April 2026, which resulted in three competing factions each claiming legitimacy. Incumbent state chairwoman Stella Chukwuma faced pressure from defectors of the Labour Party and the People's Democratic Party who sought her removal. She later aligned with a group that supports Ibe Kachikwu, which asserts it represents the authentic ADC in the state. A second gathering took place in Emene, described as sympathetic to Peter Obi; there Professor Austin Akubue was elected chairman, backed by former governor Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo and Chief Chinyeaka Ohaa. Former senator Gil Nnaji attended briefly before departing. The third faction, loyal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, met at a hotel in Independence Layout and chose General Chris Eze (retired) as state executive chairman by voice vote. Eze, a former ambassador to India and ex‑state secretary of the APC, named Prince Acharabuagu Kingsley as Vice Chairman for Enugu North and Lolo Queen Nwankwo as Organising Secretary. He pledged "absolute integrity, incorruptibility and transparency" and refused any inducements. Chairwoman Chukwuma has distanced herself, stating the congresses remain suspended. A statement from Comrade Adolphus Udeh said the ADC aims to seize power in Enugu at the 2027 elections with a grassroots‑driven government.
The election of retired General Chris Eze, a former APC ambassador, as ADC's Enugu state chairman starkly illustrates how the party has become a magnet for politicians seeking new platforms, rather than a cohesive opposition force.
Behind the three parallel congresses lies a wave of defections from the Labour Party, PDP and even the APC, each faction aligning with national figures such as Peter Obi, Ibe Kachikwu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The scramble for control reflects broader instability within smaller parties, where personal ambitions and inter‑party rivalries eclipse ideological consistency.
For ordinary Enugu voters, the fragmentation threatens a clear choice in the 2027 elections; competing ADC tickets could split opposition votes, diluting the party's ability to present credible candidates and potentially benefitting incumbents.
This episode mirrors a recurring Nigerian pattern where internal disputes and cross‑party migrations erode party structures, leaving electorates with bewildering options and undermining democratic consolidation.
