By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown its weight behind the electoral commission’s decision to stop recognising rival factions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing a group led by former Senate President David Mark of seizing control of the opposition party.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would no longer accept official correspondence from either of the two rival ADC factions — one loyal to Mark and the other to Nafiu Bala Gombe — after reviewing a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on March 12.
The decision effectively leaves the party without a recognised national leadership in the eyes of the electoral body, deepening a power struggle that has shaken the ADC in recent months.
The APC welcomed the move, arguing that INEC’s action reinforces the rule of law and protects Nigeria’s democratic process from what it described as an attempted takeover of the opposition party.
The ruling party said the Mark-led executive had “hijacked” the ADC’s structure, insisting that the commission’s stance was necessary to prevent confusion over the party’s legitimate leadership.
INEC has yet to outline the next steps for resolving the leadership dispute, but its decision signals that the electoral body will await clear legal direction before recognising any faction as the party’s official representatives.
