•PHOTO: (L-R) Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; former Osun State Governor and African Democratic Congress National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola; ADC National Chairman, David Mark; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, during a press conference, today
The African Democratic Congress has raised alarm over what it described as a calculated plot to impose a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress of using the Independent National Electoral Commission to weaken opposition parties.
ADC National Chairman, David Mark, who stated this while addressing newsmen at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, today, also demanded the immediate sack of the INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan Joash, over alleged bias and unlawful actions, reports The PUNCH.
INEC had yesterday announced its decision to delist key ADC figures, including National Chairman David Mark, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, and others.
INEC, through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, stated that the decision was in compliance with a court order directing the commission to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case by the trial court.
The ADC has faced an ongoing leadership crisis since 2025, following the emergence of a new National Working Committee led by Mark in July 2025.
The crisis stemmed from disagreements over the tenure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, whose term officially ended in August 2022. However, Nwosu was reportedly involved in facilitating the 2025 leadership transition, a move that triggered opposition from factions within the party.
The dispute escalated as rival groups laid claim to the party’s leadership, resulting in multiple court cases. This has created uncertainty within the ADC, raising concerns that the internal conflict could weaken its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
Reacting, Mark said that over the past three years, there has been a sustained attack on the freedom of association, a core principle guaranteed in any democracy.
The embattled ADC chairman further alleged that the aim is to engineer a situation where, by 2027, President Bola Tinubu becomes the sole viable choice for Nigerians, despite the prevailing hardship and escalating insecurity across the country.
He stated, “The agenda is very clear: to create a situation where, in 2027, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerges as the only option left for the people, despite the widespread suffering and wanton killings going on across the country. The twin challenge of deepening poverty and a worsening security situation in the country did not just happen. They are direct consequences of the failure of this government. They know that Nigerians will not want this to continue. They know Nigerians will vote them out. This is why they would do anything to hang on to power by hook or crook.”
Mark stated that their decision to join the ADC was deliberate, noting that they carried out thorough due diligence
He stated, “In furtherance of this process, a NEC meeting was convened on July 29th, 2025, monitored by INEC officials. One of the conclusions of that NEC meeting was the dissolution of the National Working Committee of the party and the ratification of a caretaker committee to take over the affairs of the party, with my humble self, David Mark, as the National Chairman; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the National Secretary; as well as others who have since been serving as officers of the party.
“In addition to witnessing this process that brought in the new leadership of the party, a formal report of these resolutions was subsequently communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On September 9th, 2025, INEC then uploaded the names of the relevant NWC members of the party, based on the NEC resolutions.
“One of the officials in the dissolved NWC was Nafiu Bala, who was one of the Deputy National Chairmen of the party. It is on record that Gombe resigned from this position on 17th May, 2025. His resignation was also duly transmitted to INEC on the 12th of August, 2025. Regardless of his resignation, he decided to approach the courts on September 2nd, 2025, four clear months after his resignation, seeking to be recognised as the Chairman of the ADC.
The embattled chairman said that by September 2, when Bala went to court, INEC was already aware of the July 29 inauguration of the party’s leadership and Gombe’s prior resignation.
He added that while the case was ongoing, their lawyers challenged the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and directed all parties, including INEC, to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
Mark continued, “The crux of the matter is the interpretation of what constitutes status quo ante bellum, which the Court of Appeal directed should be maintained. From all authoritative counsel at our disposal, there is no legal interpretation or precedent that could possibly lead to the outcome that INEC seeks to foist on our party.
“Based on its press statement of yesterday, INEC is pretending to be confused as to what constitutes the status quo ante bellum. If this were so, under the circumstances, what one would have expected was for INEC to approach the Court of Appeal to request a judicial interpretation of what truly represents the status quo under the circumstances. But it did not do this. While posturing to be neutral, its actions confirm that it has become irredeemably partisan, working, as it were, towards a preconceived agenda.
“With its action, INEC has left no one in doubt that it has chosen the path of dishonour and has become complicit in undermining Nigeria’s democracy. It can therefore no longer be trusted. What we say, in essence, is this: INEC cannot choose to fix the status quo from the day it took the administrative action to upload the names of the new ADC officials on its website, because INEC does not have the power to determine for any political party who its leaders should be.
“That decision was taken on July 29th, not on September 9th. With its press release yesterday, INEC has invented a status quo that never existed, because there was no time that the African Democratic Congress did not have a duly constituted leadership. What INEC has done is to create a situation that, by its own curious logic, leaves the ADC without leadership. This certainly cannot be the status quo that the Court of Appeal directed should be preserved. It is an INEC invention that is not known to any Nigerian law.”
Mark accused INEC of acting in contempt of the Court of Appeal, describing its move as a direct attack on Nigeria’s democracy and on citizens’ rights to choose, participate, and freely exercise their civic freedoms.
He continued, Right now, I speak to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. I also speak directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: with 90% of the National Assembly and over 30 of Nigeria’s 36 governors in the APC, President Tinubu, what are you afraid of? If you are convinced that you have done well for the people who voted for you, why are you afraid of a free, fair, and transparent electoral contest? If you are indeed the democrat that you claim to be, why are you bent on destroying all opposition political parties?
“It is important to state the net implications of this decision taken by INEC, in case they had not thought of it, or they just do not care: First, by attempting to subvert the leadership of the ADC, INEC has already undermined our participation in the Osun and Ekiti elections taking place later this year.
“Secondly, we have our congresses starting on the 9th of April, 2026, ending with our convention on the 14th of April, 2026. We have given due notice to INEC, and they have acknowledged receipt of that notice. This is what the law requires of us. Let us sound a note of warning. This INEC under Professor Joash Amupitan will be held directly responsible for whatever actions or reactions follow this criminal path that it has chosen to take.
“We demand the immediate resignation or sack of the INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan, and all the National Commissioners. We no longer have confidence in them. We are convinced that they are incapable of conducting any credible election.”
Mark stated that the ADC, under his leadership, will continue with its party activities, maintaining that there is no legal provision that makes INEC’s presence compulsory.
