The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has denied claims that Senator David Mark resigned as the party’s national chairman to allow previous chairman Ralph Nwosu to take over leadership ahead of the national convention.
The party’s position came in response to an online publication claiming that Mark had resigned amid internal tensions and rising pressure on the party’s structure, particularly in light of recent measures by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The report further said that Nwosu was in a position to direct the party toward a national convention and stabilize its affairs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the ADC denied the claim, stating that no such leadership transition had occurred.
Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, dismissed the report in a tweet on Sunday, urging the people to discount the claim as fake news.
“Please note that reports circulating about a change in the leadership of the ADC are #FakeNews. Please disregard, flag, and report such content on any social media platform where you encounter it,” he tweeted.
The incident comes only days after INEC withdrew the names of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) chaired by Mark off its official website.
The electoral body stated that its action was based on a Court of Appeal decision requiring parties interested in the leadership dispute to maintain the status quo ante bellum until the outcome of a substantive challenge before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
INEC noted that the appeal court, in its March 12, 2026 decision, urged the parties to refrain from taking measures that could affect the outcome of the case and to maintain the existing structure prior to the disagreement.
The decision came after the ADC experienced a prolonged leadership crisis, with factions led by Nafiu Gombe and David Mark vying for the party’s national leadership.
Despite the INEC’s view, the Mark-led NWC has challenged the commission’s interpretation of the court decision. The faction also called for the electoral body’s dissolution and stated that it would continue to prepare for its scheduled national convention.
