ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens: Faction Halts Nomination Sales Amidst Court Battle, Threatening Party Cohesion Ahead of 2027
The Report
As reported by an unverified source (original link provided below), the faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe has directed the immediate suspension of the sale and purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms. This directive, issued following a meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) held on Thursday in Abuja, is explicitly tied to a pending matter before the Federal High Court.
“All parties concerned are directed to immediately suspend the sale/purchase of such forms pending the final determination of the matter presently before the Federal High Court. It is expressly stated that any person who proceeds to purchase the said forms does so at their own risk, and the African Democratic Congress shall not accept any liability or responsibility for consequences arising therefrom.”
The communiqué, signed by ADC BoT Secretary Mr. Rufus Akanmi, also acknowledged a recent Supreme Court judgment, described as a landmark contribution to constitutional democracy. The BoT called on members of a coalition within the party and a faction led by Senator David Mark to work with the Gombe leadership, and directed the National Working Committee to constitute Caretaker Committees in states where executive tenures have expired, and to initiate processes for a Mini National Convention to fill vacant NWC positions.
WANA Regional Analysis
Against this backdrop of internal fragmentation, the directive from the Gombe-led ADC faction signals a deepening leadership crisis that threatens to undermine the party’s electoral viability ahead of the 2027 general elections. The suspension of form sales—a primary revenue stream and organizational milestone for any political party—is a drastic measure that effectively freezes candidate recruitment and grassroots mobilization. This is not merely a procedural hiccup; it is a strategic gambit to consolidate control by leveraging the courts to delegitimize rival factions.
The broader implications for the ECOWAS region suggest a cautionary tale for multi-party democracy in West Africa. The ADC, once a promising alternative platform, now mirrors the factional paralysis that has historically plagued Nigeria’s opposition parties, from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The reference to a faction led by Senator David Mark—a former Senate President and political heavyweight—indicates that the dispute is not over ideology but over control of the party’s machinery and its potential spoils. The call for a Mini National Convention, while framed as a move toward stability, is likely to be contested by the Mark faction, setting the stage for parallel congresses and further litigation.
For West African political analysts, this episode underscores a recurring pattern: the weaponization of judicial processes to resolve intra-party disputes, often at the expense of democratic participation. The Supreme Court judgment praised by the BoT may have provided legal clarity on one front, but it has not resolved the underlying power struggle. As the 2027 elections approach, the ADC risks becoming a cautionary example of how internal discord, rather than external competition, can render a political party irrelevant. The directive to suspend form sales, while legally cautious, may also be a tactical move to starve the Mark faction of resources and legitimacy, forcing a showdown that could either unify the party or splinter it beyond repair.
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Original Reporting By: Unverified Source