- Ralph Nwosu resigned as ADC chairman on July 2, endorsing David Mark as interim leader without membership verification.
- Coalition members, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, wrote INEC seeking recognition for the Mark-led national working committee.
A fresh crisis has erupted in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a faction led by Nafiu Bala declared that former senate president, David Mark, is not a legitimate party member.
The group argued that Mark’s appointment as interim national chairman amounted to a breach of the party’s constitution, insisting that leadership positions are reserved strictly for registered members.
Aminu Alhassan, who serves as Bala’s special assistant on public affairs, issued a statement on Friday faulting the composition of a national working committee under Mark’s leadership.
The statement came weeks after several opposition leaders and some ADC officials adopted the party as their political vehicle for the 2027 general election.
Notable figures in the coalition include former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar; Mark; ex-PDP chairman, Uche Secondus; former Kaduna governor, Nasir el-Rufai; 2023 Labour Party flag bearer, Peter Obi; former interior minister, Rauf Aregbesola; ex-transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi; and former senatorial candidate, Bolaji Abdullahi.
On July 2, ADC founder and ex-national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, stepped down alongside members of the national working committee and endorsed Mark as interim leader of the party.
Following that endorsement, coalition members approached the Independent National Electoral Commission to formally recognise the new leadership arrangement.
Alhassan maintained that the change of guard should not be mistaken for an open contest, stressing that party rules must be respected.
“First and foremost, it is essential to clarify that the resignation of Chief Ralph Nwosu did not create a free-for-all scenario within the ADC,” he said.
According to him, the ADC constitution “is unequivocal” that only bonafide members can aspire to lead the party, adding that this requirement cannot be set aside.
“This fundamental requirement cannot be overlooked or circumvented by any means,” Alhassan emphasised, noting that neither INEC regulations nor the constitution permits non-members to assume leadership positions.
He described the Mark-led committee as an affront to the democratic principles on which the ADC was founded, warning that it does not represent the party’s legitimate leadership.