Amid bitter leadership battles, legal entanglements, and political accusations, the ADC faces existential questions. Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election. TOYE FALEYE writes.
A Party in Turmoil
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was once a minor but hopeful voice in Nigeria’s crowded political landscape. Now, it is mired in one of the most fractious crises seen outside the country’s dominant parties.
It began as an internal leadership dispute. This conflict has snowballed into a multilayered crisis. Now, rival factions, court battles, and a brewing confrontation with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are all involved.
The result is a party with organisational coherence in tatters. Its role as a credible opposition force is now in question.
Roots of the Rift
The seeds of the current turmoil were sown in mid‑2025 when a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting produced a new National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark.
INEC initially verified this outcome. However, fractures emerged rapidly. Rival figures, such as former National Vice Chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenged the legitimacy of the process. They argued that it violated the ADC’s constitution.
These tensions spilt into the courts and ignited a prolonged dispute over party leadership that has yet to be fully resolved.
By April 2026, INEC cited a Court of Appeal ruling. The court directed all parties to maintain the “status quo ante bellum.” INEC then announced it would suspend recognition of all ADC leadership factions. This decision will last pending the outcome of the substantive suit before the Federal High Court.
This decision left the party effectively leaderless on the electoral commission’s records and further muddled its internal affairs.
New Factions and Fragmented Authority
With neither side enjoying clear institutional control, multiple factions have emerged. The Mark-led faction seeks to reinforce its authority and maintain the status attained in the 2025 NEC meeting, while the Bala-led faction challenges the process to restore what it sees as adherence to the party’s constitution and legitimacy.
Even state chapters appear divided. Some officials in regions such as Katsina affirm their loyalty to Mark. They slam INEC’s intervention as a misinterpretation of judicial directives.
Now, a third faction has surfaced, complicating the already tangled web of rivalries. This group, composed largely of disaffected state-level leaders and grassroots organisers, claims that both the Mark and Bala camps have lost legitimacy by prioritising personal ambition over party unity and seeks to restore the party’s original ideals as a corrective measure.
They argue for a “restoration committee” to restore the ADC to its founding principles of internal democracy and transparency, positioning themselves as advocates for a return to collective leadership. Though lacking INEC recognition, this faction has begun holding parallel meetings and issuing communiqués, further fragmenting the party’s authority.
The result is a party splintered on paper and in practice. It struggles to perform basic organisational functions, such as congresses, conventions, and primaries. These are all essential if the ADC hopes to field candidates in 2027. A fresh court case even seeks to deregister the party entirely, compounding the turmoil.
Youth Voices, Protests and Rising Tensions
Amid the leadership dispute, younger members of the ADC have grown increasingly bold. The party’s youth wing issued a 72-hour ultimatum to INEC. They demand restoration of the leadership they consider legitimate and warn of nationwide civic action if their demands are not met.
True to their word, ADC youth staged a protest in Abuja. They marched to INEC headquarters with placards denouncing what they called “electoral injustice” and “democratic sabotage.” The demonstration was peaceful. It drew significant attention from civil society groups and the media. This underscored the depth of frustration among the party’s rank-and-file.
Their declaration accused the electoral body of eroding democratic norms and acting outside its constitutional mandate. These dramatic appeals and public mobilisations highlight how deeply the fissures have penetrated the party’s organisational culture. Some members now frame the dispute as central to Nigeria’s democratic trajectory rather than merely internal politics.
Political Accusations and External Pressures
In a twist that has added political heat to an already volatile situation, voices within the ADC allege that the ruling APC may be playing a role in worsening the crisis.
They suggest INEC’s moves and selective interpretations of court orders reflect external pressures tied to the political establishment. These moves aim to keep opposition parties disorganised ahead of the 2027 elections.
APC spokespeople have dismissed such claims as conspiracy theories, insisting the turmoil is self‑inflicted and rooted in the ADC’s internal weaknesses.
This exchange of accusations reflects a broader struggle over narrative framing. One side sees institutional actors behaving neutrally within constitutional bounds. The other discerns political influence and erosion of democratic space.
Expert and Civil Society Perspectives
Analysts and civil society voices have weighed in cautiously. Some argue the dispute is fundamentally an internal party matter, exacerbated by structural weaknesses and legal ambiguity. Election regulators, they note, are simply complying with court directives.
National civil society groups have even voiced support for INEC’s chairman, cautioning against politicising the crisis in ways that could undermine trust in democratic institutions.
Political commentators emphasise that parties now increasingly rely on courts to settle leadership disputes. This trend shows a broader shift in Nigeria’s political contestation. Judicial interpretation has become a routine arbiter of organisational legitimacy.
Implications for 2027 and Beyond
With the 2027 general election drawing closer, the ADC’s crisis carries much wider stakes. These extend beyond its internal cohesion.
A party that cannot present a unified leadership risks missing electoral deadlines. It may fail to submit candidates and remain on the sidelines of critical political alignments.
This dysfunction weakens broader opposition coalitions and may inadvertently cement the dominance of larger parties.
Whether the ADC can reconcile its rival factions—including the emergent third bloc—clarify hierarchies, and reclaim its opposition role remains an open question at the heart of Nigeria’s shifting political landscape.
What is clear is that the crisis is fuelled by legal contention, internal distrust, youth activism, loaded political accusations, and now public protest. It is one of the most complex and consequential episodes in the party’s brief history.