By Jeremy Fregene
The crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) deepened on Tuesday as former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, defended the legitimacy of the party’s current leadership under David Mark, even as the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) moved to disown the same structure and announced an interim leadership.
Speaking during a televised interview, Nwosu dismissed reports of factionalisation within the ADC, insisting that claims of divisions were exaggerated and driven by misinformation.
“It is the media and INEC that are creating these so-called factions. You cannot describe a party with millions of members as divided because of a few dissenting voices,” he said.
He maintained that the emergence of Mark as national chairman followed due process, noting that multiple meetings involving party stakeholders, including state chairmen, led to the decision.
“All the state chairmen complaining today were part of the meetings. They participated in the processes from 2024 to 2025 and were present when decisions were taken. They cannot now claim ignorance,” Nwosu added.
The former chairman also rejected claims that his tenure expired in 2022, insisting it runs until October 2026. He accused some state chairmen of attempting to blackmail the leadership to secure tenure extensions by resisting planned congresses.
“They don’t want to undergo congresses. They want automatic extensions, and that is not how a political party operates,” he said.
However, in a sharp rebuttal, the ADC NEC, comprising state chairmen, publicly dissociated the party from the Mark-led leadership and the opposition coalition, declaring their actions “null and void.”
At a press conference, NEC spokesman Don Norman Obinna said the committee had resolved to “rescue” the party following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) directive to maintain the status quo amid the leadership dispute.
“We disassociate the ADC from David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Bolaji Abdullahi, Oserheimen Osunbor, and all members of the so-called coalition who attempted to hijack our party,” the group said.
The NEC also rejected claims by Nafiu Gombe to any leadership position, stating unequivocally that he “has never held the position of deputy chairman of the ADC.”
In a detailed statement, the NEC insisted that Nwosu’s tenure ended in August 2022, citing a Federal High Court judgment which it said nullified all actions taken by him after that date. It further accused him of illegally reconstituting the party’s leadership and attempting to hand over control to non-members.
The committee said it had previously filed legal actions challenging what it described as the “illegality” of the Mark-led leadership, adding that INEC’s recent stance validated its position.
According to the NEC, the absence of a valid National Working Committee (NWC) since 2022 left it as “the only constitutional authority” empowered to act on behalf of the party.
“Arising from an emergency NEC meeting, we have resolved to appoint an interim leadership to manage the day-to-day affairs of the party pending the conduct of a proper convention,” the statement said.
The committee also reaffirmed loyalty to the party’s former presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, describing him as a bona fide member and rejecting his purported expulsion by the Mark-led group.
While Nwosu insisted there was “no impasse” and vowed that the party would proceed with its planned congresses, the NEC warned that it would escalate the matter if INEC failed to recognise its intervention.
Despite the conflicting claims, Nwosu maintained that the ADC remained united and accused external forces of attempting to weaken opposition parties and impose a one-party state under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We are prepared. Those who think Nigeria can become a one-party state will be taught a lesson,” he said.