The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed worry over what it described as a planned scheme to establish a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress of manipulating the Independent National Electoral Commission to destroy opposition parties.
David Mark, ADC National Chairman, announced this while addressing reporters at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Thursday. He also urged the immediate removal of INEC Chairman Professor Amupitan Joash for alleged prejudice and illegal conduct.
On Wednesday, INEC revealed its decision to delist major ADC members, 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, announced that the decision was made in accordance with a court order requiring the commission to maintain the status quo until the trial court determined the issue.
Since July 2025, when a new National Working Committee led by Mark was formed, the ADC has been dealing with an ongoing leadership crisis.
The problem arose from arguments about former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu’s tenure, which officially expired in August 2022. However, Nwosu was reportedly implicated in aiding the leadership shift in 2025, which sparked opposition from party sections.
The conflict erupted when different parties vied for the party’s leadership, resulting in several court battles. This has generated uncertainty within the ADC, increasing concerns that the internal struggle may impede its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In response, Mark stated that over the last three years, there has been a concerted onslaught on the freedom of organization, which is a fundamental tenet guaranteed in any democracy.
The beleaguered ADC chairman further claimed that the goal is to create a circumstance in which, by 2027, President Bola Tinubu will be the only realistic option for Nigerians, notwithstanding the country’s current suffering and rising insecurity.
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 mentioned 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 recognized as the Chairman of the ADC.
The embattled chairman stated that by September 2, when Bala went to court, INEC was already aware of the party’s leadership inauguration on July 29 and Gombe’s preceding resignation.
He further stated that while the lawsuit was underway, their lawyers challenged the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction, but the Court of Petition denied the petition and ordered 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 dishonor 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 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 claimed that INEC is 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 added, “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 noted 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.
