The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has derecognised the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has drawn sharp reactions from former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode. In a post on X on Thursday, Fani-Kayode mocked the political fortunes of Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, linking their ambitions to the ADC's recent troubles. He described the INEC decision as a crushing blow, stating, "Given the fact that they have been affected by the decisions of the courts and INEC and they no longer have a party and platform to stand and run on… who are the ones that have been rejected now?" Fani-Kayode pointed to a series of setbacks, claiming the party had been rejected "by the courts, rejected by INEC, rejected by their original founders and rejected by the Nigerian people." He suggested the ADC should abandon immediate presidential hopes and instead focus on rebuilding over the next five years. "May I suggest that they channel all their energy to building up and forming a real opposition party over the next five years and then field a candidate for the 2031 presidential election?" he said. According to him, the 2027 election was already beyond the party's reach.
Femi Fani-Kayode's jab at David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola exposes how quickly political relevance can evaporate when institutions and public support withdraw. The ADC's collapse into irrelevance mirrors past parties that flared briefly before fading, much like certain one-hit-wonder Afrobeats acts who never replicated early success. When even your founders walk away, no amount of big names can mask the lack of a real grassroots base. Rebuilding by 2031 may be the only way forward, but Nigerian politics rarely rewards patience.
