By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally updated its official portal to reflect changes in the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signaling the commission’s recognition of the leadership dispute within the party.
The commission confirmed that the removal of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by David Mark followed a detailed review of a recent Court of Appeal judgment and an ongoing suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to INEC, the decision comes after receiving conflicting legal representations from the two factions vying for control of the party. One faction, loyal to Nafiu Bala Gombe, urged the commission to enforce the appellate court’s ruling, which includes withdrawing recognition from the Mark-led NWC. The other faction, aligned with Mr. Mark, advised INEC against recognizing Mr. Gombe as acting national chairman, citing the pending legal proceedings.
The leadership crisis traces back to July 2025, when the ADC’s former leadership resigned, paving the way for a new executive committee headed by Mr. Mark. Mr. Gombe, a former vice-national chairman, has challenged this transition, arguing that the party’s constitution mandates his ascension to the leadership role.
In a ruling delivered on March 12, 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by Mr. Mark. The court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum—the state of affairs before the crisis—pending the resolution of the substantive suit at the Federal High Court.
