The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected claims by a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark that President Bola Tinubu and the APC are orchestrating a leadership crisis within the opposition party. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, APC National Secretary Surajudeen Basiru called the allegations "baseless," "mischievous," and "fallacious propaganda" designed to distract from the ADC's internal divisions. The ADC faction had accused the APC and President Tinubu of undermining opposition parties to create a one-party state ahead of the 2027 elections, and claimed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unlawfully withdrew recognition of their leadership by misinterpreting a Court of Appeal ruling.
Mr Basiru stated that INEC's decision was based on a Court of Appeal judgment that dismissed the ADC faction's appeal as procedurally flawed and premature, while directing all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum. The court also awarded costs against David Mark's group. He noted that Nigeria has 19 registered political parties and that President Tinubu has no constitutional authority to deregister any. The APC accused the ADC faction of defying court orders by proceeding with planned congresses and a national convention, calling the move reckless. Mr Basiru urged the faction to seek redress through the courts rather than making public accusations.
David Mark's faction blaming President Tinubu for its legal losses exposes more about ADC's internal disorganisation than any real threat to democracy. The Court of Appeal already ruled their appeal premature and slapped them with costs—yet they press on with conventions in defiance of court orders. When a party ignores the judiciary while demanding institutional accountability, its credibility erodes. For Nigerian voters, this saga signals that opposition fragmentation is often self-made, not engineered from Aso Rock.
