ADC Leaders Plan Protest Over INEC's Actions

The National Executive Committee Chairmen Forum of the African Democratic Congress has threatened to hold a nationwide protest against the Independent National Electoral Commission. This will happen if the commission does not follow Thursday’s court ruling on the party’s leadership crisis.

The forum also urged INEC to quickly replace the names of Senator David Mark and his dissolved Interim National Working Committee on its website. They want these names changed to those of Nafiu Bala Gombe and other officials they say are legally recognized.

They also called for INEC to reopen its portal. This will allow the ADC to carry out fresh primaries if needed and upload its candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Kennedy Odion, the Secretary of the forum, made these demands while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday. This was after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled against the Mark-led interim leadership of the party.

Odion stated that the ruling canceled all decisions made by the dissolved NWC. This includes the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate and the selection of other candidates during its congresses and national convention.

He said the ruling confirmed the forum’s claim that the Mark-led leadership was not recognized under the party's constitution.

"We, the only legally recognized NEC members, accept in its entirety the judgment declaring our own Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe the authentic national chairman of the ADC.

"If INEC does not comply with this latest judgment, we will have no choice but to go ahead with our planned nationwide protest against the electoral commission. Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one, no matter how important, is above the law," Odion said.

He added that the ruling showed that Atiku, his running mate, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and other candidates chosen by the interim leadership were not the party’s real candidates.

The ADC has been stuck in a long leadership battle between the Mark-led interim NWC and a faction led by Bala Gombe. This has led to several court cases due to disagreements over the party’s leadership and the way its congresses and national convention were run.

Earlier, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled in favor of the ADC state chairmen led by Don-Norman Obinna on April 29, 2026. The court confirmed that the elected state executive committees remain in place until valid congresses and a national convention are held. It also stopped INEC from recognizing congresses held by the interim NWC.

The Court of Appeal upheld this judgment on June 13, 2026. But Odion claimed that INEC continued to support the Mark-led leadership and accepted candidates chosen through its congresses and convention.

He said the forum has started taking steps to challenge INEC’s actions while the matter is still with the Supreme Court.

Odion mentioned that their choice to pursue legal action instead of confrontation helped avoid violence among unhappy party members and candidates.

"The maturity shown by the NEC Chairmen Forum as law-abiding members of society prevented chaos and saved lives of upset party members and candidates," he said.

He praised the judiciary for what he called its courage in upholding justice, despite what he described as propaganda against the courts by the dissolved interim leadership.

While they wait for the Supreme Court’s decision on earlier cases, Odion promised the forum’s support for Bala Gombe. He expressed hope that the new leadership would bring back stability to the party.

He congratulated Bala Gombe and ADC members, stating that "sanity" has returned to the party.