A renewed leadership crisis has engulfed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the emergence of a rival faction that has rejected the authority of the coalition aligned with David Mark and distanced itself from Nafiu Bala Gombe’s camp.
The faction, led by Don Norman Obinna, claims to represent the party’s legitimate National Executive Committee (NEC) and says it has assumed responsibility for managing the ADC’s affairs ahead of a proposed national convention.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Obinna stated that the tenure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu expired in August 2022, adding that his continued hold on the party triggered a series of legal disputes.
He alleged that Nwosu’s failure to step down after his tenure lapsed led to prolonged litigation and internal instability within the party.
The group announced plans to convene a national convention and establish an interim leadership structure pending the emergence of a new National Working Committee (NWC).
Obinna said the decision followed an emergency NEC meeting attended by state chairmen and key stakeholders to address the lingering leadership crisis.
He noted that earlier Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) efforts had recommended the conduct of a national convention to elect new leaders, a process he said had not been implemented for nearly two years.
The faction further accused the former leadership of attempting to unlawfully transfer control of the party to non-members while sidelining duly recognised state chairmen.
It also revealed that two court cases had already been filed to challenge the legality of those actions, even before recent developments involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Insisting that the NEC remains the highest authority in the absence of a functional NWC since August 2022, the group formally dissociated itself from the Mark-led coalition, including figures such as Rauf Aregbesola and Bolaji Abdullahi.
The faction also dismissed claims by Nafiu Bala Gombe to any leadership role, maintaining that he never held the office of deputy national chairman.
It reaffirmed that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, remains a committed member of the ADC and warned diplomatic missions not to recognise the rival coalition.
The crisis has been further complicated by ongoing legal disputes. In September 2025, Gombe filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the legality of the leadership associated with Mark and Aregbesola.
On 1 April, INEC removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal in compliance with a court directive to maintain the status quo pending resolution of the dispute.
The development has raised concerns that the ADC’s ability to field candidates in the 2027 general election could be affected.
The party, adopted as a coalition platform in July 2025, had been positioning itself as a major opposition force ahead of the next presidential poll, with several prominent politicians linked to the alliance.
However, the emergence of multiple factions now casts doubt over its unity and electoral readiness.
