The National Executive Committee Chairmen Forum of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened a nationwide protest against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if the commission fails to implement a Federal High Court judgment removing Senator David Mark-led interim leadership of the party.
The forum also demanded that INEC immediately delete the names of Mark and members of his dissolved Interim National Working Committee from its portal and replace them with those of Nafiu Bala Gombe and other officials it considers legally recognised.
The forum’s Secretary, Kennedy Odion, made the demands while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, a day after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, nullified the Mark-led interim leadership of the ADC.
Odion said the judgment invalidated actions taken by the dissolved leadership, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election and the emergence of other candidates through congresses and the national convention organised by the interim leadership.
He said the ruling vindicated the position of the state chairmen that the Mark-led leadership lacked constitutional authority to control the affairs of the party.
“We, the only legally recognised NEC members, accept in its entirety the judgment declaring our own Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe the authentic national chairman of the ADC,” Odion said.
He warned that failure by INEC to comply with the judgment would trigger the planned nationwide protest against the electoral commission.
The forum also asked INEC to reopen its candidate nomination portal to enable the ADC to conduct fresh primaries where necessary and upload candidates for the 2027 general elections.
According to Odion, the judgment also affected the status of Atiku, his running mate, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and other candidates who emerged through processes conducted by the Mark-led leadership.
The ADC has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership crisis between the Mark-led interim National Working Committee and the faction led by Bala Gombe.
The dispute had earlier produced a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on April 29, 2026, which affirmed the tenure of elected ADC state executive committees pending the lawful conduct of congresses and a national convention.
The court also restrained INEC from recognising congresses organised by the interim NWC. The judgment was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal on June 13, 2026.
Odion, however, alleged that INEC continued to recognise the Mark-led leadership and accept candidates produced through its congresses and national convention despite the earlier judgments.
He said the forum had pursued legal remedies rather than confrontation and that its restraint helped prevent tensions among aggrieved party members and candidates from escalating.
While awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in the earlier litigation, the forum pledged its support for Bala Gombe and expressed confidence that his emergence would help restore stability to the ADC.
The latest development adds another layer to the party’s leadership crisis, with the dispute now directly involving INEC’s recognition of the competing factions and the validity of candidates produced under their respective structures.
