Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that his visit to former Senate President David Mark's residence in Abuja on Wednesday was a show of solidarity with Mark's faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The meeting, attended by key opposition figures including ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abubakar Malami, Aminu Tambuwal and Bolaji Abdullahi, came hours after Mark's ADC faction protested at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters. Makinde, one of two PDP governors, described the gathering as a commitment to sustaining democratic ideals amid political turmoil. "We came here to visit the leadership of ADC. We're on a solidarity visit. We've seen what has been happening within the political space, the court and the protest today. We came to show solidarity and to commit to a clean democratic space in our country," he said. The ADC has split into two factions led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala. INEC recently suspended recognition of Mark's leadership following a Court of Appeal directive to maintain the status quo while litigation continues at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Mark's faction has since demanded the resignation of INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan, accusing him of overreach.
David Mark's ADC faction has become a rallying point for opposition heavyweights not because of institutional strength, but because it offers a stage for political theatre at a time of national uncertainty. The presence of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso at his residence signals less a commitment to the ADC and more a strategic alignment of figures with shared grievances against INEC and the current political order.
This gathering gains significance against the backdrop of INEC's suspension of Mark's leadership following a court order—a move that has been framed by his faction as an attack on party autonomy. Yet the real story lies in how opposition actors are using internal party crises to build informal coalitions outside formal structures. The protest at INEC's headquarters, followed by a high-profile solidarity visit, reveals a pattern of leveraging judicial and administrative controversies to gain public sympathy and political momentum.
For ordinary Nigerians, particularly voters in opposition strongholds, this means party loyalty is increasingly secondary to personal alliances and tactical positioning. The ADC crisis is not about ideology but control, and the outcome will likely affect how smaller parties are treated ahead of future elections.
This episode fits a broader trend: Nigerian politics is being reshaped less by parties and more by networks of influence that form and dissolve around momentary causes.
