The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has rejected the leadership coalition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, citing procedural lapses and non-compliance with statutory requirements.
INEC clarified that the ADC failed to submit crucial documentation, including verified resolutions, specimen signatures, and evidence of adherence to its constitution, which are mandatory for recognizing leadership changes.
INEC’s spokesman stressed that until these requirements are met, all official documents or communications signed by Mark and Aregbesola remain invalid.
Moreover, this decision comes amidst allegations from ADC factions accusing the coalition of hijacking the party through backdoor dealings, with some calling the move a “civilian coup.”
Some members of ADC, including the party’s House of Representatives member from Yagba in Kogi State, Leke Abejide, and the party’s presidential candidate in 2023, Dumebi Kachikwu, have rejected what they call the take-over of the party by Mark and others.
Kachikwu described it as hostile and illegal, arguing that the action of the new entrants “further cements the opinion most Nigerians hold that political parties in the country stand for nothing and will fall for anything.”
He added: “They claim to be fighting for the rights of ordinary Nigerians and say they are on a rescue mission.
“But what confuses Nigerians is that these men—made up of a former vice president, former governors, ministers, and political office holders—are the same people who have presided over the affairs of this nation for the past four decades.”
Nigeria, according to Kachikwu, has nothing to show for their years in leadership “other than being seen as a nation divided by tribe and religion and thriving in mediocrity.”
“We are a nation lacking in the basics, whose majority are poor.
“Yet we are watching those who set our nation on fire now claim to be the fire brigade,” he said
Meanwhile, the rejection has sparked internal chaos within the ADC, with factions threatening legal action and petitioning INEC to block the coalition’s legitimacy.
This turmoil raises concerns about the party’s stability and its role as a potential opposition platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
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