The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is making good its promise to hold its national convention today. The party declared yesterday that all arrangements for the conduct of is national convention were in place.

Our correspondent learnt that at least 2,500-3000 delegates are expected at the convention which is to ratify the National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of former Senate President, David Mark.

This comes as the Supreme Court is billed to hear the appeal on the ADC leadership tussle. The appeal by the David Mark leadership is asking the court to grant an order staying the execution of the Court of Appeal ruling delivered on March 12th.

The party has faced many challenges in its bid to hold the convention.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had de-recognised the David Mark leadership of the ADC, which had earlier informed the electoral body of its intention to hold the convention.

The commission vowed not to receive any correspondence from the Mark-led leadership or Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to be declared as the National Chairman of the party, following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Dr Ralph Nwosu.

Gombe had challenged the take over of Mark leadership, insisting he should assume leadership. He filed a suit at the Federal High Court in September 2025, seeking to stop Mark’s group from acting as party leaders.

Although the Mark leadership filed an appeal in the case, the Court of Appeal dismissed it on March 12, 2026.

Citing the ongoing litigation, the INEC said it would maintain the status quo ante bellum.

In the buildup to the convention, the party ran into hitches trying to secure a venue, saying it was denied usage of the Eagle Square and the National Stadium Valedrome, where it had intended to hold the event.

Ologbondiyan said many hotels turned them down once they realised it was the ADC.

The party accused the present administration of trying to frustrate their efforts in holding the convention, saying, “Nigerians should be assured that the ADC will hold its convention in Abuja as scheduled.”

He said, “We had written to the authorities for the Eagle Square, it was acknowledged. But since then, they refused to answer us. We also wrote for the Valedrome at the National Stadium, we were told by the ministry that they did not have any authorisation to allow us use the place.”

Presidential spokesman, Sunday Dare, however, denied the allegation saying all political parties enjoy equal rights under the law.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday, also dismissed claims that any political party was denied the use of Eagle Square for a convention. He insisted that no formal application for the venue was submitted.

“Who denied them? I am not aware of any such development, and I don’t even know which party you are referring to. If it is the African Democratic Congress (ADC), such claims are their usual attempt to gain public sympathy,” Wike said.

He explained that using the Eagle Square is subject to due process, which includes a formal application through Abuja Investments Company Limited (the facility’s management) and the payment of the required fees.

The minister also clarified that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, rather the Sports Commission.

“As we speak, no formal application has been submitted to Abuja Investments Company Limited. When the APC used the venue and the PDP used the Stadium Velodrome, they complied with the process. We do not deny anyone access if the rules are followed,” he added.

Leaders of the party including; Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Tambuwal and Rauf Aregbesola last week, protested at the INEC headquarters, accusing the Nigerian government of undermining opposition parties.

Alarm over fake membership cards in Kaduna

Only yesterday, the Kaduna State chapter of the ADC raised concern over what it called the circulation of fake membership cards in the state, warning members of the public to remain vigilant against fraudsters posing as party officials.

The alarm was raised in Kaduna by the chairman of the Membership Mobilisation, Registration and Revalidation (MMRR) Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Sidi Bamalli, alongside the committee’s secretary, Hajiya Hafsat M. Baba, during a press briefing.

They alleged that certain “agents provocateurs,” working with anti-democratic elements, are printing and distributing counterfeit membership cards to unsuspecting individuals.

The committee stressed that the only recognised structure of the party in Kaduna State is the one aligned with former governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and the ADC National Vice Chairman (North West), Jafaru Ibrahim Sani.

It also reaffirmed that the duly recognised Kaduna State MMRR Committee is headed by Sidi Bamalli, with Hafsat Baba serving as secretary, and urged members of the public to direct all registration-related inquiries to the authorised office.

The committee said authentic membership registration is conducted strictly through ward offices and the party’s official online portal, with final verification carried out physically to ensure credibility.

The ADC noted that it had procured 50,000 official membership cards for Kaduna State, which were distributed across the wards, adding that each card carries specific security and identification features.

“Kaduna State is currently ranked among the top two states in terms of membership mobilisation and registration nationwide,” the committee said.

The ADC explained that its hybrid registration system combining physical and online processes was designed to ensure inclusiveness, transparency and compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, which requires political parties to maintain verifiable membership records.

Despite the setbacks, the party insisted that its convention would go ahead as scheduled.

Speaking, chairman of the media sub committee of the ADC convention, Kola Ologbondiyan, told Daily Trust that all is in place.

He said,”As am speaking with you, we are at the venue of the convention, putting finishing touches to the event.”

ADC Reps join calls for Amupitan’s sack

Meanwhile, the party and its members are not relenting on the call for the INEC chairman to quit.

ADC caucus in the House of Representatives, yesterday, joined the call for the removal and prosecution of the chairman of INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan.

The caucus, in a communiqué read by its leader, Afam Victor Ogene, at a press conference, said the demand followed what it described as “compromising, partisan and conflicted” conduct by the INEC chairman.

It cited allegations that Amupitan had previously made partisan statements on social media in support of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as posts suggesting religious bias, claims which INEC has denied.

According to the lawmakers, independent digital investigations reportedly link the social media account in question to the INEC chairman, raising concerns about his transparency and integrity in managing Nigeria’s electoral process.

“In light of these inconsistencies and concerns regarding impartiality, we call for the immediate removal of Prof. Amupitan and advocate for his prosecution to safeguard the nation’s democracy,” Ogene said.

The caucus also accused INEC of interfering in the internal affairs of the ADC by allegedly recognising a faction of the party’s leadership contrary to an earlier position that acknowledged a group led by former Senate President David Mark.

It warned that such actions could deny the party the opportunity to field candidates in future elections, thereby undermining democratic inclusiveness.

The lawmakers further alleged collusion by some officials of INEC and elements within the judiciary to influence an ongoing court case concerning the ADC leadership crisis.

They cited provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 83(5), which bars courts from entertaining matters relating to the internal affairs of political parties.

Describing the situation as an “existential threat to democracy,” the caucus vowed to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate and sanction judicial officers accused of compromise and malfeasance.

It also aligned with recent comments by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), who warned that perceived political patronage of judges could erode judicial independence and public trust.

The ADC lawmakers stressed that INEC must not only be independent in name but must also demonstrate transparency, neutrality, and credibility in its operations ahead of the 2027 polls.

Parties not learning from past mistakes – Dr Abdulkareem

Political Scientist at the University of Ilorin, Dr Edun Abdulkareem, said the situation within ADC reflects a failure to learn from the internal breakdowns that weakened older parties.

“To me, the crisis in the PDP is self-inflicted. And what we are now seeing in ADC follows a similar trajectory. The expectation was that newer political actors would learn from the mistakes of established parties, but that is not the case,” he said.

He argued that the root of the ADC crisis lies in the failure to follow due process, particularly in matters relating to party leadership and executive control.

“Before attempting to take over the structure of a political party, there are clearly defined legal and constitutional procedures. The party’s constitution and the broader legal framework guiding political parties in Nigeria do not allow for arbitrary takeover of executive positions. Due process must be followed,” he explained.

Dr. Abdulkareem stressed that leadership changes within parties must occur through established mechanisms, such as conventions or legally sanctioned processes, rather than unilateral actions.

“What should have been done was to allow internal processes to play out, including conventions where leadership transitions can be legitimately effected. Skipping these procedures creates instability and opens the door to legal challenges,” he added.

Speaking on the broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic development, Dr. Abdulkareem expressed concern that persistent internal crises within political parties are undermining democratic growth.

Dr. Abdulkareem concluded that strengthening internal party democracy and adherence to due process are critical to advancing Nigeria’s democratic system.

‘Allegations of bias threat to democracy’

A Senior Legal Advisor with Lawyers Alert, a civil society organisation in Benue State, Victor Eboh, described allegations of bias and political leaning against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, as a serious threat to public trust and democratic stability.

Eboh said that from a civil society perspective, such allegations – even before an election – are significant, not necessarily because they establish wrongdoing, but because of the implications they hold for the credibility of the electoral process.

He noted that the legitimacy of INEC rests largely on its perceived neutrality, stressing that elections are judged not only by their technical conduct but also by the confidence citizens have in their fairness.

He explained that when stakeholders begin to question the impartiality of the commission’s leadership -whether based on past statements or perceived affiliations – it creates a confidence deficit that could undermine public acceptance of election outcomes.

“Second, such accusations point to a broader structural issue: weak institutional safeguards against perceived or real conflicts of interest. In many democracies, electoral management bodies are expected to maintain not just neutrality, but also the appearance of neutrality. This means that past public expressions, political associations, or even perceived sympathies can become liabilities.

Eboh stressed finally, that the appropriate response, from a CSO perspective, was not necessarily immediate calls for resignation, but rather a transparent and independent review of the allegations, public clarification by the electoral body and reinforcement of institutional safeguards to restore confidence.

“In essence, when an electoral umpire is accused of bias ahead of elections, it is less about the individual alone and more about the risk of eroding electoral legitimacy. For democracy to function, citizens must trust not just the outcome, but the process and the institution managing it,” Eboh posited.

On his part, Dr Jide Ojo, a development consultant and public affairs analyst, said ADC should have erred on the side of caution.

“If they are assuming that the case coming up at the Supreme Court will be decided today, what if that case is not decided in their favor or that the Supreme Court does not give judgment?

“I think they could have shifted their convention till after the Supreme Court decision, even if it’s just for 24 hours,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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