Crisis rocks ADC congresses as Mark faction insists on convention
Supporters of the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) remain unsure of the ability of the party to conduct its national convention billed for Abuja on Tuesday
- Parallel congresses in Kaduna, Enugu, Edo, Ondo, Ogun; consensus in Delta
Supporters of the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) remain unsure of the ability of the party to conduct its national convention billed for Abuja on Tuesday as the leadership continues to keep them guessing on its plans for the event.
The venue is yet to be made public while questions remain about security of lives and property at such a gathering of multitude of people.
Division among members is also mounting in several state chapters of the party ahead of the convention.
The party recently set up a 22-member National Convention Central Coordination Committee, chaired by former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, with 339 other members across 11 committees to lead the process.
A high-ranking chieftain of the party who does not want his name in print told The Nation yesterday in Abuja that they were going ahead with the convention.
“Nothing is stopping our national convention from holding on Tuesday," the source said.
"We are going ahead. That is what we are working on right now," he added.
He declined to give the number of delegates expected from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said the national leadership would provide the details “in due course”.
"The convention will hold based on the scheduled activities already communicated to INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission)," he said.
However, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan had warned the faction of the futility of the planned convention.
Speaking during a television interview penultimate week, Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the party should refrain from taking “any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory.”
Read Also: FG cuts import duties on cars, rice, others in 2026 policy
He was referring to the order of the Appeal Court asking the two factions of the ADC to main the status quo ante bellum in the leadership tussle.
INEC said it based its decision to withdraw recognition of the two factions on the court order.
He said: “if they are going ahead with their congress, with their convention, it’s left for them to look at it, whether it is in contravention of the court.
“So, if already they are asking that don’t do any congress, don’t do any convention, it is a relief that is being claimed. And especially they filed a motion for that purpose, that motion has not been determined.
“Let me tell you what happened in Zamfara. It happened in the past. We don't want to conduct an election without this early warning, and at the end of the day, after you have won, the court again will come and declare the election invalid. The implication is that the person with the second highest number of vote will be declared the winner.”
Advertisement
300x250
Transcorp Hilton denies cancelling booking by ADC
Transcorp Hilton Abuja yesterday denied claims by the ADC that it cancelled a booking made by the party for a political event in the facility.
Acting General Manager of the hotel, Mohammed Saiid Khalil, described the allegation as “inaccurate, malicious and entirely fabricated.”
Khalil said the hotel “remains open to hosting events for any organisation that meets its standard booking requirements.”
Division mounts in state chapters
Three chairmen emerged in each of the Edo and Enugu chapters of the party yesterday ahead of the national convention.
The congresses in the two chapters were characterised by sharp disagreements over sharing of positions.
The party broke into two in Kaduna State while the Ondo State chapter produced ex-PDP chieftains in the state as officials.
The three factions in Edo are led by Kennedy Odion, Deacon Nosa Ehima and Hon. Tony Alile.
Odion was interim chairman of the Edo ADC before former Governor John Odigie-Oyegun, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, Olumide Akpata and Kenneth Imasuangbon came on board.
Deacon Ehima emerged Chairman at the congress conducted by the faction loyal to Senator Roland Owie while Alile emerged chairman from the congress conducted by the Odigie-Oyegun faction.
Odion had claimed that his tenure would end next month and insisted he was entitled to another term in office.
A similar scenario played out in Enugu where parallel congresses produced three chairmen: Mrs Stella Chukwuma who had been in office before the July takeover by the coalition; Prof. Austin Akubue, said to be a loyalist of Mr. Peter Obi, and Chris Eze, a retired general
Rival factions of the party in Kaduna clashed, with one side saying the congress was postponed while the rival faction loyal to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, dismissed the postponement and proceeded with the election.
The faction, which began the exercise on April 7, insisted that any decision to shift the congresses lacked constitutional backing and would not be recognised.
Speaking with The Nation, the State Publicity Secretary of the El-Rufai faction, Darius Kurah, said the ward congresses commenced on April 7, followed by local government congresses and then the state congress.
The Imo State chapter re-elected former chairman, Prof. James Okoroma, as chairman and Gregory Ihejirika as Secretary.
In Ondo State, former Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tola Alabere, emerged the chairman of a faction of the party.
The chairman of the rival faction, Wole Ademoyegun, had earlier suspended the ward, local government and state congresses.
Ademoyegun said the exercises, initially scheduled to commence on Thursday, were halted in compliance with a directive from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which instructed all factions within the party to maintain the "status quo ante bellum" pending the resolution of its lingering leadership crisis.
In a twist, the Atiku-backed faction went ahead with its congresses, producing Alabere as its factional chairman in Ondo State.
Advertisement
300x250
The Delta State chapter held its congress and a stakeholders' meeting aimed at resolving issues among coalition partners and strengthening party unity.
The congress, which followed earlier ward and local government exercises, was the final stage before the party's national convention.
Party leaders said the stakeholders' meeting was convened to harmonise positions among the various blocs that make up the ADC coalition in the state.
At the end of deliberations, leaders of the different tendencies agreed to work together and adopt a consensus approach for the emergence of the new state executives.
The Rivers State chapter confirmed yesterday that it would hold its own congress today.
The ADC Publicity Secretary in the state, Chief Luckyman Egile, said everything was in place for the congress.
"We have done our ward and LGA congresses. What is remaining is the state congress, and it will hold tomorrow (Sunday)," he said.
Court halts ADC congress in Adamawa
Some other state chapters had to call off their congresses following court injunctions.
One of such is Adamawa State where the State High Court ordered immediate suspension of all congresses planned by the ADC in the state.
Justice Ahmad Isah ordered the suspension of the congresses pending the determination of a lawsuit filed by the party's state chairman, Yohanna Shehu.
The court fixed 15 April for the hearing of the substantive case.
Ogun holds parallel congress
The party in Ogun State yesterday conducted its State Executive Congress in Abeokuta, producing a new leadership team and dismissing the outcome of a parallel gathering held elsewhere in the state.
Advertisement
300x250
The congress, organised by a faction aligned with David Mark, took place at the party's state secretariat and was described by organisers as orderly and in line with constitutional provisions.
The exercise was chaired by Rasheed Salvador, who presided over proceedings that reportedly saw full participation of accredited delegates and compliance with screening requirements for aspirants.
According to the State Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Olumide Onabanjo, at the end of the congress, Femi Soluade was sworn in as State Chairman while other officials elected include Babatunde Adedeji as Deputy State Chairman and Agbebiyi Olusoji as State Secretary, alongside other members of the State Executive Committee.
Onabanjo, in a statement yesterday, stated that the oath of office was administered by the State Legal Adviser, Femi Aina, who affirmed that the process complied with party regulations.
However, the party leadership criticised a separate meeting reportedly held at OOPL by individuals claiming alignment with the same faction.
According to the statement, the gathering did not follow the party's constitutional procedures, citing the absence of aspirant screening and failure to adhere to laid-down guidelines.
“The outcome of that assembly is null, void and of no effect whatsoever,” the statement said.
Despite the internal dispute, the ADC in Ogun State maintained that it remains united and committed to democratic principles.
The party also called on aggrieved members to reconcile and support the recognised leadership in strengthening its structure ahead of future political engagements.
'Why we met with PRP'
Speaking yesterday on the Friday meeting between representatives of the ADC and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Abuja, an ADC source said it was at the instance of the leadership of the PRP, to strategies on how opposition parties could present a united force in prosecuting the 2027 elections.
“It was a courtesy visit on our party. It was at the instance of the PRP leaders. The meeting essentially deliberated on the need to forge a formidable opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections,” the source told The Nation.
ADC team had David Mark, Bolaji Abdullahi and Salihu Lukman, while the PRP spokesman Muhammed Ishaq accompanied his national chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, to the meeting which lasted for about 20 minutes.
A similar meeting was held by David Mark-led ADC with Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction earlier in the week.
