A FRESH layer of crisis has engulfed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the emergence of a new faction that has rejected the authority of the coalition led by David Mark and distanced itself from the camp of Nafiu Bala Gombe.
News Point Nigeria reports that the faction, led by Don Norman Obinna, claims to represent the legitimate National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party and says it is stepping in to manage the ADC’s affairs ahead of its next national convention.
At a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Obinna stated that the tenure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu had expired in August 2022, stressing that the former leadership’s continued hold on the party had triggered multiple legal disputes.
“The tenure of Ralph Nwosu, who handed the party to the David Mark group, had ended in August 2022, and afterwards, he faced a series of litigations due to his failure to step down,” Obinna said.
The group announced plans to convene a national convention and constitute an interim leadership to oversee the party’s activities, pending the emergence of a new National Working Committee (NWC).
Obinna disclosed that the decision followed what he described as an emergency NEC meeting attended by state chairmen and other party stakeholders, convened to address the lingering leadership crisis.
According to him, earlier Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) efforts had already recommended that the party should hold a national convention to produce a new leadership, a process he noted has remained unimplemented for nearly two years.
“The key outcome of the ADR, which was signed by both parties, was that the ADC would inevitably go into a convention to produce a new leadership. This has not been done for almost two years after,” he stated.
The faction also accused the former leadership under Ralph Nwosu of attempting to unlawfully transfer control of the party to individuals who were not members, while sidelining existing state chairmen.
“He attempted to illegally transfer leadership of the party to people who were not members of the ADC. He put measures in place to remove all the state chairmen simply because they did not fit the mould of leadership representing elite interests,” Obinna alleged.
The group disclosed that it had already instituted two court cases challenging the legality of those actions, even before the recent developments involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Citing what it described as the absence of a functional National Working Committee since August 2022, the faction insisted that the NEC remains the highest legitimate authority within the party.
In a strong declaration, the group formally dissociated itself from the coalition led by David Mark and other prominent political figures, including Rauf Aregbesola and Bolaji Abdullahi.
“We dissociate the ADC from David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Bolaji Abdullahi and all members of the so-called coalition. All actions taken by them in the name of the ADC are not binding on the party,” Obinna said.
The faction also rejected claims by Nafiu Bala Gombe to any leadership position within the party, maintaining that he never held the office of deputy national chairman.
“We state clearly that he has never held the position of deputy chairman of the ADC,” Obinna emphasised.
The group reaffirmed that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, remains a bona fide and committed member of the ADC.
It further warned diplomatic missions operating in Nigeria not to recognise the rival coalition as representatives of the party.
According to the faction, the ADC remains a platform for all Nigerians and not one controlled by elite interests, accusing the opposing camp of attempting a “power grab” at the expense of longstanding party members.
The crisis within the party has been further complicated by ongoing legal battles. In September 2025, Nafiu Bala Gombe filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the legality of the leadership led by David Mark and Aregbesola.
Gombe argued that he ought to have assumed leadership following Nwosu’s resignation and alleged that his resignation letter had been forged.
Subsequently, on April 1, INEC removed the names of David Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal, citing a court directive to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the dispute.
The development has sparked fresh concerns within the party, with accusations that INEC’s action could undermine its ability to field candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The ADC, which was adopted as a coalition platform in July 2025, has been positioning itself as a major opposition force ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Prominent political figures, including Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have been linked to the coalition in its bid to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
However, the emergence of multiple factions and the deepening leadership crisis now cast a shadow over the party’s cohesion and its readiness to mount a formidable challenge in the next general elections.