The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has de-recognised the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark. On Wednesday, INEC announced it would maintain the status quo ante bellum following a March 12, 2026 appellate court ruling and ongoing litigation at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The commission stated it would no longer engage with any faction of the party or recognise Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe as interim leader, removing the Mark-led National Working Committee from its official portal. This decision comes just after Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso formally joined the ADC, joining Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi in what had become a unified opposition front. The ADC, previously a minor party, had gained prominence after absorbing top opposition figures from the PDP, LP and NNPP. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State had also signaled intent to defect from the PDP to the ADC, a move that would have given the party its first governor. However, INEC's action halts all internal party activities and freezes recognition until the courts resolve the dispute.
INEC's timing is impossible to ignore—just as the ADC consolidated three major opposition figures and neared real threat level, its leadership was erased from official records. David Mark's removal from INEC's portal undermines the legitimacy of a party that, months ago, had no national profile. If this were merely about court orders, earlier disputes in the PDP or LP would have drawn equal rigour. Instead, only the rising challenge feels the freeze.
