INEC officially updated its website, removed all ADC David Mark-led NWC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially updated its website and removed David Mark-led National Working Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The commission sites Court order.

INEC in a press statement details the reasons for the removal of Senator David Mark led NWC from it's Portal.

PRESS RELEASE

INEC’S POSITION ON THE COURT OF APPEAL’S DECISION IN APPEAL NO. CA/ABJ/145/2026: SENATOR DAVID MARK V HON. NAFIU BALA GOMBE & ORS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received:

A letter from the law firm of Suleiman Usman SAN & Co. dated 16th March, 2026, titled:

“RE: NOTICE OF PENDING PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT AND CAUTION AGAINST ANY PURPORTED RECOGNITION OF MR NAFIU BALA GOMBE AS ACTING NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (ADC)” written on behalf of concerned stakeholders within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) 

A letter from the law firm of Summit Law Chambers also dated 16th March 2026 titled:

 “DEMAND FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDERS MADE BY THE COURT OF APPEAL, ABUJA DIVISION IN APPEAL NO: CA/ABJ/145/2026: SENATOR DAVID MARK V HON. NAFIU BALA GOMBE & 4 ORS” written on behalf of Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe.

 

While the letter from Suleiman Usman SAN & Co urged the Commission not to recognise Mr Nafiu Bala Gombe as acting National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on account of the pending Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025: Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe v. ADC & 4 Ors.  before the Federal High Court, Abuja, where the question of the leadership of the Party (ADC) is presently being contested, the letter from Summit Law Chambers, on the other hand, attached the certified True Copy of the Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Suit No. CA/ABJ/145/2026: Senator David Mark v Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe & Ors and requested the Commission to enforce the judgement  of  the Court of Appeal, including:

 Ceasing recognition of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively of ADC;

Removing their names from the Commission’s portal; and

Refraining from dealing with or recognising any actions taken by them in respect of the party in line with the preservation orders made by the Court of Appeal.

Subsequently, by another letter on the same subject matter dated 27th March, 2026, Summit Law Chambers alleged that the Commission had acted in disobedience of the Court of Appeal’s Orders by:

i. Inviting Senator David Mark’s group to a political parties’ meeting held on Tuesday, 24th March, 2026; and 

ii. Monitoring a purported National Executive Committee meeting of that group. 

The solicitors (Summit Law Chambers) further drew the attention of the Commission to the Motion Ex-Parte and Motion on Notice filed by their client on 15th December, 2025, seeking to prevent the 1st Defendant (ADC) from holding any convention, congress, conference, or meeting and to stop INEC from attending, monitoring, observing or recognising any activities of the ADC. They accordingly requested INEC to invalidate the NEC meeting held by Senator David Mark's group on 25th  March, 2026, remove the name of Senator David Mark's group from the INEC portal, stop recognising or acknowledging correspondence from them until the determination of the pending suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja and allow Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe to take over the affairs of ADC pending the determination of the case, and that INEC should respect the orders of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026.

ORDERS OF THE COURT OF APPEAL

In its judgement delivered on 12th March, 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed the interlocutory appeal by Senator David Mark and made amongst others, the following Orders:

“Finally, it is necessary to make preservatory orders to ensure that the subject matter of the dispute pending before the trial court is not prejudiced as Courts have inherent powers to control and regulate proceedings to ensure justice...

Accordingly, in order to protect the integrity of the proceedings and the eventual determination of the substantive suit pending before the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:

That Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, be and is hereby granted accelerated hearing in view of the Electoral Time Table released by the 4th Respondent.

That the parties are hereby directed to maintain the status quo ante bellum and shall refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court.

Cost of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) is awarded in favour of the 1st respondent.”

INEC’S OBSERVATIONS

The Commission, after a careful consideration of the Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 and the processes filed by the parties in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja wishes to observe as follows:

  

That the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party (ADC) came into being following the National Executive Council Meeting of 29th July, 2025 after all the Mr. Ralph Okey Nwosu Exco Members resigned and ratified the appointment of the present members of the National Working Committee (NWC)  led by Senator David Mark.

That Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, who was the Vice-National Chairman, denied he ever resigned from the party and claimed that following the resignation of the Chairman of the party,  Mr. Ralph Okey Nwosu, he Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, automatically ought to take over as the Chairman of the Party, being the only  Vice-National Chairman left behind in accordance with the constitution of the Party.

That Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, through an Originating Summons, instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 2nd September, 2025 for an order of injunction restraining Senator David Mark's group (2nd & 3rd Defendants) from parading themselves, dealing or continuing to deal with INEC as National Chairman and Secretary of the 1st Defendant (ADC), an order restraining INEC from recognising, dealing with or continuing to deal with the 2nd and 3rd Defendants as the National Chairman and Secretary of the 1st Defendant (ADC), an order directing INEC to recognise the Plaintiff (Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe) as the acting National Chairman of the 1st Defendant (the ADC), an order of the Honourable Court restraining INEC from parading the 2nd and 3rd Defendants (Senator David Mark's group) as officials of the1st Defendant (ADC), etc.

Along with the Originating Summons were Motion Ex Parte and Motion on Notice restraining INEC from recognising Senator David Mark's group.  

The motion ex parte was heard on 4th September, 2025 and the trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, directed that the Respondents, including INEC, be put on Notice to show cause why the Motion Ex Parte should not be granted.

The 2nd Defendant (Senator David Mark) decided to appeal against the order of Nwite, J. on 18th December, 2025 to the Court of Appeal, Abuja, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court. 

On 12th March, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ( 6 months after the appeal was filed)  dismissed the appeal of the 2nd Defendant and, in addition, made the above-quoted presevatory orders. 

The Plaintiff also filed another Motion Ex Parte and Motion on Notice on 15th September, 2025 before the trial court seeking to prevent the 1st Defendant (ADC) from holding, convening or summoning any Convention, Congress, Conference or meeting and to stop the 4th Defendant (INEC) from attending, monitoring, observing, or recognising any activities organised by the 1st Defendant pending the determination of the suit.

That after the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, the Commission received letters from the solicitors to Senator David Mark's group and Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, making claims and counter-claims to the leadership of the party and making several demands on INEC.

That the Commission also received on 31st March, 2026, a letter dated 28th March, 2026 from Senator David Mark's group notifying the Commission of the schedule of ADC Congresses and National Convention as well as the revised schedule of activities earlier contained in their letter of 27th February, 2026. 

The request, through a letter dated 29th July, 2025, for the submission of the names of the New Principal Officers of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for upload on the Commission’s portal was received by INEC on 4th September, 2025 and it was approved by INEC on 9th September, 2025.

RESOLUTON OF THE COMMISSION

Given the above scenario, at the meeting of the Commission on Tuesday, 31st  March, 2026, the Commission resolved as follows:

To maintain the status quo ante bellum as directed by the Court of Appeal based on the facts and position of the parties existing before 2nd September 2025, when the case was filed by the plaintiff. 

That the Commission would, in accordance with the Order of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court, having regard to all the processes filed before the trial Court.

The Commission refused to accede to the request of the Plaintiff’s Solicitors to allow Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe to take over the affairs of ADC pending the determination of the case.

The Commission shall not, given the reliefs claimed in the Originating Summons and the pending motions, receive any further communication or deal with any of the parties or groups pertaining the affairs of the party and will not monitor any Meeting, Congress or Convention convened on behalf of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by any group until the matter is decided by the Federal High Court, Abuja so as not to do any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court.

Since the names of the current National Working Committee members led by Senator David Mark were uploaded on 9th September, 2025 by INEC (7 days after the suit was instituted),  the names would be removed from the INEC portal pursuant to the order of the Court of Appeal to maintain the status quo ante bellum until the matter is decided by the trial court.

CONCLUSION

The Commission reiterates its unwavering commitment to neutrality, impartiality and strict compliance with judicial orders. Political parties and stakeholders are urged to conduct themselves in a manner that does not jeopardise the Electoral Time Table for the 2027 General Election.

Mohammed Kudu Haruna

National Commissioner, 

Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee

1st April 2026

ADC Crisis: Why Appeal Court Sacked David Mark and Aregbesola, Labour Party May remain the only option for 2027

Nigeria's Court of Appeal removes David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Adensoji Aregbesola  as national chairman and National Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the Court affirms Nafiu Bala as the authentic leader of the opposition party.

The development has since sparks political reactions as Bala is widely regarded as an ally of the Nigeria's incumbent president Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressive Congress.

The APC leadership has been in charge of the country since 2015, failed to tackles the insecurity as the regime has been involving in negotiations with the terrorists that have been ravaging the country since 2009.

The crisis rocking opposition political parties including the Labour Party (LP), People's Democratic Party (PDP) and lately African Democratic Congress (ADC) are all linked to the desperate moves of the pro Terrorists Bola Tinubu led APC Government.

On ADC litigation, the Court of Appeal (Nigeria) has reportedly removed former Senate President, David Mark, as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), affirming Nafiu Bala as the authentic leader of the party. Many believed Nafiu Bala was bankrolled by the presidency to cause distablisation the coalition of the political oligarchy aiming to use the platform in 2027.

The appellate court ruling is said to have resolved a leadership crisis that had divided the party, with the judges recognising Bala as the legitimate national chairman with authority to manage the party’s affairs..

The judgment is already generating reactions within political circles, as analysts believe the decision could reshape the internal structure of the ADC and influence its political direction in the coming months. The development has also attracted attention due to Bala’s perceived political closeness to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a factor observers say could affect future political alignments.

As of the time of filing this report, David Mark had not issued an official response to the ruling. The judgment may trigger further legal or political steps from factions that previously backed Mark’s leadership.

With the court affirming Bala as chairman, it's believe the party may now move to stabilise its leadership after months of internal disagreements while stakeholders monitor how different factions within the party respond to the verdict.

The ambition of the former Vice President Alhaj Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Anambra State Mr. Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi to clinch the presidential Ticket of the party might have hit a dead luck depending on the direction of Snafu leadership.

The Labour Party has recently emerged as a platform free of crisis following both the supreme court judgement and an Abuja Court court affirming the leadership of the Distinguished Senator Nenadi Esther Usman as the Authentic leadership that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must deal with. While the PDP is believed to have been taken over by the pro Tinubu ally Wike.

The Labour Party may be the only alternative political platform for all the opposition as far as the 2027 general elections may be concerned.

Opposition Leaders Raise Alarm over Threat Against Nigeria's Multi-Party Democracy, Accuse Tinubu govt of plot to annihilate opposition

 

Demand independent review body to examine public accounts of federal, state, LGs from 2015 to 2025

Propose embedding anti-graft operatives directly into government payment, expenditure processes at all levels

PRESS STATEMENT

Anti-Corruption, Not Anti-Opposition: A Joint Statement by Opposition Leaders on the Growing Politicisation of State Institutions for Persecution of the Opposition

We are compelled by duty to nation and conscience to issue this statement to alert our compatriots and the international community to the unfortunate and gradual slide of our country into a state where key national institutions - particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); The Nigeria Police; The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are increasingly perceived as tools of political intimidation, selective justice and systematic persecution of opposition leaders.

Across our nation, there are mounting concerns that state power is being deployed not for prevention of economic crimes, but for persecution of perceived political adversaries, with the ultimate aim of weakening opposition voices and dismantling Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

A Dangerous Agenda Unfolding

More than ever before in our democratic experience, Nigerians have witnessed what many now describe as a covert, undemocratic agenda: to ensure that all state governments fall under the control of the President’s party - not through transparent electoral contests, but by secretly intimidating opposition governors via the anti-corruption apparatus until they succumb and defect. Recent defections of opposition governors into the ruling party have reinforced public suspicion that political pressure, not ideological or personal persuasion, is driving this realignment. This pattern forms part of a broader project that targets not only elected leaders but also key opposition figures perceived as architects of emerging coalitions ahead 

of the 2027 general election. We must warn that this project, if allowed to continue unchecked, poses a grave danger to Nigeria’s democratic future.

Weaponisation of the EFCC

There is a discernible pattern of persecution of the opposition by the EFCC with the sole objective of weakening same for the benefit of the ruling APC. This disturbing pattern mirrors a long-standing sentiment openly expressed years ago by a former National Chairman of the ruling APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who declared when receiving defectors from the PDP: “Once you have joined APC, all your sins are forgiven.” Whether intended as political rhetoric or not, this statement has come to symbolise a troubling reality: allegations against members of the ruling party are routinely perceived to be overlooked, while even unsubstantiated accusations against opposition figures are vigorously pursued and subjected to media trial. 

A few recent examples reinforce this perception. Months ago, a minister was implicated in a financial scandal so blatant that only sustained public outrage forced her resignation. Yet, long after stepping down, she has neither been charged nor arraigned by the EFCC and is now actively involved in the President’s re-election campaign. Similarly, another minister remained in office despite the university he claimed to have attended publicly denying his academic certificate. He, too, resigned only after intense public pressure, Months later, no charges have been filed.

Such selective enforcement undermines the legitimacy of anticorruption efforts and erodes public trust. Furthermore, Nigerians are not blind to the sudden empowerment of certain political actors, including individuals appointed to federal executive positions after crossing from the opposition but still claim to be members of opposition party - whose unstated mandate, in the public’s eyes, appears to include the systematic destabilisation of opposition parties through the creation of factions, inducement and the exploitation of judicial processes, allegedly funded by state resources.

Erosion of EFCC’s Independence

The EFCC is a critical national institution, created to safeguard Nigeria’s economic integrity.

Yet today, many Nigerians fear that its independence is steadily being eroded. An agency designed for prevention and accountability risks becoming an instrument of political persecution, undermining both justice and democracy. The President must recognise that evident social and political injustice could snowball into mayhem as the nation approaches another election cycle. This trend must be halted immediately if the nation must be spared a major catastrophe. 

OUR DEMANDS

• Depoliticise EFCC: The operations of the EFCC must be urgently shielded from political interference and must not serve the whims and caprices of any President, party or political faction.

• Return EFCC to Its Statutory Mandate: The Commission must refocus on genuine detection and prevention of economic crimes across board, not selective prosecution, media trials or intimidation of opposition figures. For the avoidance of doubt, the Functions and Powers of the Commission are expressly provided for under Sections 6 & 7 respectively.

• Defend Multiparty Democracy: Nigerians must remain eternally vigilant to ensure that the President does not transform the country into a de facto one-party state - as witnessed in Lagos over the last 25 years, where opposition leaders were silenced, coerced or induced into irrelevance.

• Embed Preventive Anti-Corruption Mechanisms: Relying on the Supreme Court ruling on the powers of the EFCC over all public accounts, for true prevention of financial crimes, anti-graft operatives should be embedded in all the payment processes of governments at all levels to ensure compliance with rules of transparency, accountability and probity in public financial transactions. Put differently, the EFCC must recognise and exercise their function as covering both pre and post expenditure. operatives must also be held accountable for any unreported but later detected economic and financial infractions in their respective areas of oversight. To further strengthen the EFCC, we propose that the EFCC Act should be amended for this purpose.

• Establish an Independent Review Body: We call on the Attorney General, in consultation with the National Assembly, to set up an independent review body which should be granted full access to the public accounts of the federal, all states and all local governments covering from 2015 to 2025, with a mandate to conduct a transparent, comprehensive review of financial transactions and publish its findings. Such a review will expose the EFCC’s pattern of selective prosecution of opposition figures and reveal that many current officials of the federal government—and those of ruling-party-controlled states—should have long been prosecuted for economic and financial crimes, but were shielded due to their political affiliation. Based on its findings, the independent body should also propose amendments to EFCC’s enabling law to strengthen the agency for more effective and efficient prevention of financial crimes.

This proposed body is to be chaired by an eminent judge, and composed of the following:

- Representatives from civil society organisations

- Representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association

- Representatives of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria

- Representatives of Institute of Chartered Bankers

- The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit

- Representatives of anti-graft agencies

- Representatives of the Police

- Representatives of the DSS

- Representatives of the Armed Forces

- Representatives of all political parties with a seat in the National Assembly.

A Call to Defend Nigeria’s Democracy

We call on all patriotic Nigerians across party lines, professions, regions and faiths to stand firm. Our democracy is under threat through the deliberate and systematic weakening of opposition forces, with the EFCC as the central instrument in this troubling strategy.

In the coming weeks, we will provide more details, and also engage foreign partners of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies and diplomatic missions, including United States, UK, Canada, EU, World Bank Office, United Nations, to express our deep concern about the EFCC increasingly becoming a willing tool in a broader scheme to weaken opposition in Nigeria, and also demand a reform of the anti graft agency.

Nigeria’s democracy demands our vigilance, courage and unity, as Edmund Burke, an Anglo-Irish statesman and philosopher, warned: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".

We are equally guided by the enduring words of Martin Luther King Jnr: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil ......In the end we shall remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Now is the time for all of us to rise in defence of our cherished multiparty democracy, and indeed, in defence of the very soul of our nation.

We must make a deliberate choice not to be remembered by posterity for our Silence.

Nigeria belongs to all of us - not to a single party or a single leader.

Signed,

Sen. David Mark, GCON

Alh. Atiku Abubakar, GCON

Mallam Lawal Batagarawa

Chief Bode George

Mr. Peter Obi, CON

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

OPPOSITION LEADERS ADOPT ADC TO UNSEAT TINUBU, NAMES DAVID MARK, AREGBESOLA AS PROTEM LEADERS

After a high-level meeting in Abuja in Tuesday, major opposition coalition of political heavyweights in Nigeria  ahead of the 2027 general elections have adopted a New party to rescue the country from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC federal government.

The realignment of Nigeria’s political landscape, top opposition leaders adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their new political platform, nominating former Senate President David Mark as the party’s protem national chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as protem national secretary.

Prominent leaders present at the meeting of the official adoption of ADC include former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former All Progressives Congress National Chairman John Oyegun, former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Cross River Governor Liyel Imoke, and former House Speaker and ex-Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

Others in attendance include influential political figures like Kashim Imam and other senior stakeholders from across the political spectrum.

Sources at the meeting described the development as a convergence of politicians from across party lines, driven by a shared determination to unseat President Bola Tinubu and dislodge the ruling APC in the 2027 elections.

The coalition includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among others.

They argue that President Tinubu’s administration has failed to deliver on its promises, citing economic hardship, insecurity, and what they call “renewed hardship” instead of “renewed hope”.

The coalition aims to unify opposition forces across party lines to present a single, formidable candidate in 2027. Their rhetoric frames the movement as a rescue mission rather than just a political contest.

In June 2025, the coalition applied to register a new party called the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) with INEC. The application included a constitution, manifesto, and a maize-themed logo symbolsiing prosperity.

Two different groups submitted applications for parties with the ADA acronym—All Democratic Alliance and Advanced Democratic Alliance—which could complicate approval.

Facing delays and uncertainty around ADA’s registration, the coalition has now adopted the ADC as its platform.

This is getting very interesting! What happened in 2015 general elections, is it going to repeat itself in 2027?