The failure of the new leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to provide the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the report of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that ratified its emergence is one of the reasons its recognition is delayed, The Nation gathered yesterday.

Also holding up recognition of the David Mark-led ADC EXCO by INEC is the non-submission of specimen signatures of Mark and the National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Besides, the former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, is still relating with INEC in official correspondences after the party had notified it that there was a change of leadership.

The ADC leadership met with INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday on the situation.

Yakubu briefed his guests on “these minor but vital procedural guidelines,” sources told our correspondent.

The sources added: “INEC has no problem with ADC at all. It only asked the party to comply with minor but vital guidelines.

“The ADC leadership, including Ralph Nwosu, met with the INEC Chairman on Tuesday to find out was delaying the recognition of the new leaders of the party.

“The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, was part of the delegation.

“As at the time the ADC team came, the party was yet to submit the report of its National Executive Committee (NEC), which ratified the new leadership, to INEC.

“It was only on Thursday that ADC said it had forwarded the report, and there was public holiday on Friday.

“We have not got specimen signatures of the new National Chairman, Sen. David Mark, the National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and other key leaders of the party.

“The excuse they gave was that Senator Mark travelled abroad for medical treatment.

“More importantly, the former National Chairman of ADC, Ralph Nwosu, was still holding on to the party.

“After notifying INEC of leadership changes, he was still signing all correspondences.

“He has been approbating and reprobating on ADC. And we have to be circumspect in acting on ADC without a formal report of NEC meeting. We, therefore, retained him in our records as the national Chairman of the party.

“So, you can see that INEC has no problem with ADC at all. “Once the party complies fully with the requirements, INEC will issue an official statement.

“The meeting with ADC delegation was mutual and clearer.”

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, said: “INEC Chairman has had a cordial session with ADC leaders on how to meet the requirements in line with the guidelines/rules.

“We are all on the same page. “

Mark, a former Senate President and retired Brigadier General, was named interim national chairman of ADC, and Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State as national secretary on July 1 after opposition politicians including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023 Mr. Peter Obi, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi and others decided to use the party as a platform against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

All of them, with the exception of Obi, have formally dumped their former parties.

However, Atiku is yet to formally register as an ADC member.

Some members of ADC, including the party’s House of Representatives member from Yagba in Kogi State, Leke Abejide, and the party’s presidential candidate in 2023, Dumebi Kachikwu, have rejected what they call the take-over of the party by Mark and others.

Kachikwu branded it hostile and illegal, saying that the action of the new entrants “further cements the opinion most Nigerians hold that political parties in the country stand for nothing and will fall for anything.”

He added: “They claim to be fighting for the rights of ordinary Nigerians and say they are on a rescue mission.

“But what confuses Nigerians is that these men—made up of a former vice president, former governors, ministers, and political office holders—are the same people who have presided over the affairs of this nation for the past four decades.”

Nigeria, according to him, has nothing to show for their years in leadership “other than being seen as a nation divided by tribe and religion and thriving in mediocrity.”

“We are a nation lacking in the basics, whose majority are poor.

“Yet we are watching those who set our nation on fire now claim to be the fire brigade,” he said. (The Nation)

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