ADC Faction Urges INEC to Intervene in Party Congress Dispute
A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt the party's scheduled congresses from April 7 to 14, 2026. The group is also seeking to restrain Senator David Mark and his committee from presenting themselves as ADC leaders, citing concerns over the imposition of an interim national caretaker committee.
Call for Democratic Compliance
Dr. MacFarlane Ejah, the ADC Vice Chairman (Central) and Director of Policy and Strategy in Cross River State, made the appeal during a media briefing in Calabar on Tuesday. He emphasized that the faction's petition demands that any leadership transition within the ADC must strictly adhere to the party's 2018 Constitution and the Electoral Act.
According to Ejah, the ADC's 2018 Constitution does not recognize interim or caretaker structures. He pointed to specific articles, including Article 18 (i and ii) and Article 17 (c), which clearly state that officers at all levels—from ward to national—must be elected through congresses.
Legal and Constitutional Concerns
Ejah further referenced the 2026 Electoral Act, specifically section 82(4), which mandates that political parties operate through democratically elected organs. He argued that there is no provision for emergency powers in the constitution that allows individuals to bypass electoral processes and appoint themselves as leaders.
"The presence of INEC officials at that meeting does not grant 'legal life' to a process that was 'dead on arrival,'" Ejah stated, dismissing the legitimacy of the interim committee's actions.
Warnings for the 2027 Elections
The faction expressed deep apprehension that if an illegal leadership conducts the upcoming congresses and convention, every candidate they nominate will be legally flawed. Ejah warned that this could lead to the ADC becoming a "judicial casualty" in the 2027 elections, referencing past instances where parties in Nigeria lost entire states due to faulty internal processes.
"We are committed members of the ADC. We do not want our party enmeshed in a continuum of illegality. We demand a return to the status-quo-ante," Ejah asserted. He emphasized the need for a party where the voice of a member in the ward is as powerful as that of a leader in Abuja.
Ultimatum and Potential Legal Action
The faction has given INEC a seven-day window to act on their petition. Should the commission fail to address their concerns, the group plans to seek judicial intervention by heading to the High Court to ensure compliance with the law.
This move highlights ongoing internal conflicts within the ADC as it prepares for the 2027 electoral cycle, underscoring the importance of democratic processes in political party operations.
