•David Mark
National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, has said the party is driven by a strong conviction to serve all Nigerians with commitment and integrity, building an institution that is greater than any individual.
Mark, a former Senate President, said the ADC would review the Nigerian Constitution to reflect a new order, develop a code of ethics, financing rules, and compliance systems if it wins the 2027 general elections.
He also stressed the need to establish functional ward, local government, and state structures with trained organisers, digital registers, and service desks, reports The Guardian.
Speaking today at the opening of the party’s first official National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja, Mark said the time had come for members to begin the work of “resetting Nigeria,” urging them to prepare for the challenges ahead.
“The road will be uphill, sacrifice will be demanded, and those threatened by democracy will resist it. Still, we must advance calmly, courageously, and together as a formidable team,” he said.
He noted that the ADC was determined to build a political institution guided by character, competence, courage, and discipline, stressing that the party would prioritise accountability, internal democracy, and service over personal interests.
“What makes the ADC different is simple: we will be a party of purpose and determination, not impulses — an institution that champions democratic values and a culture of accountability and responsibility across all its organs and in every government it forms,” Mark said.
He described the ADC as a Pan-African, people-oriented, and problem-solving movement sensitive to the needs of the poor, youth, women, workers, entrepreneurs, retirees, and other vulnerable groups.
“We will convert empathy into policy, and policy into results. We will build a party that outlives us all. Other parties revolve around individuals; the ADC will revolve around rules, policies, programmes, and results,” he stated.
The ADC chairman emphasised that the party’s mission extends beyond winning power in 2027, noting that it seeks to leave a legacy that future generations can be proud of.
He announced that the party would adopt an “Integrity and Performance Compact” that includes independent annual audits, enforced procurement rules, conflict-of-interest policies, merit-based appointments, digital membership registers, verifiable primaries, and citizens’ service charters in all ADC-led governments.
Mark also pledged that the ADC would uphold the separation of powers, restore legislative and judicial independence, and ensure strict oversight of public spending.
“As a former Senate President, I am alarmed by attempts — subtle and crude — to bend the legislature and judiciary to the will of the executive. The ADC will defend the separation of powers, restore legislative and judicial independence, and strengthen oversight so that budgets serve the public interest, not private appetites,” he said.
He added that the party would focus on practical governance — ensuring food security, stable power supply, job creation, and economic growth — while maintaining transparency in public finance.
“We will pursue price stability and productivity through credible, rules-based coordination of fiscal and monetary policy. We will support farmers, small businesses, and industries with affordable, performance-linked credit and ensure every naira spent is accounted for,” he said.
On foreign policy, Mark said the ADC would pursue a Pan-African agenda rooted in regional integration, trade expansion, and international peace.
He reminded members of the NWC of their urgent task to rebuild the party’s internal structures and ensure credible candidates emerge in all elections.
“We must model a new attitude to leadership across every sphere — public, private, and civic. Let it be said of the ADC that we kept faith with the people, that we were steady under pressure, honest in our dealings, and relentless in delivery. We do not seek power for its own sake; we seek it to build a legacy worthy of our children.”
