ADC Chairmen Say Atiku, Amaechi Not Party’s Authentic Candidates, Threatens Nationwide Protest

ADC Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar Key Takeaways The African Democratic Congress (ADC) NEC Chairmen Forum threatened nationwide protests unless INEC implements a court judgement removing David Mark’s interim party leadership. Forum Secretary Kennedy Odion claimed the judgement nullified Atiku Abubakar’s presidential nomination and Rotimi Amaechi’s emergence as his running mate. The forum asked INEC to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe’s leadership and reopen its portal for fresh primaries and candidate uploads for the 2027 elections. The National Executive Committee (NEC) Chairmen Forum of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened to stage a nationwide protest against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if it fails to implement Thursday’s court judgement on the party’s leadership crisis.

The forum wants INEC to remove the names of former Senate President David Mark and members of his dissolved Interim National Working Committee (NWC) from its portal and replace them with those of Nafiu Bala Gombe and other officials it considers legally recognised.

It also called on the electoral commission to reopen its portal to allow the party to conduct fresh primaries where necessary and upload its candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The forum’s Secretary, Kennedy Odion, made the demands while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Friday, Naija News reports.

He was reacting to the judgement delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which removed the Mark-led interim leadership of the party.

Odion said the ruling nullified decisions taken by the dissolved NWC, including the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate and the emergence of other candidates through its congresses and national convention.

He described the judgement as confirmation of the forum’s position that the Mark-led leadership was not recognised under the party’s constitution.

He said, “We, the only legally recognised NEC members, accept in its entirety the judgment declaring our own Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe the authentic national chairman of the ADC.

“Failure to comply with this latest judgment will leave us no option but to proceed with our planned nationwide protest against the electoral umpire. Nigeria is for all of us. No individual, however highly placed, is above the law.”

Odion also argued that the judgement had confirmed that Atiku, his running mate, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and other candidates produced by the interim leadership were not the party’s authentic candidates.

The ADC has been facing a prolonged leadership crisis involving the Mark-led interim NWC and a faction led by Bala Gombe. The dispute has resulted in several court cases over the party’s leadership and the conduct of its congresses and national convention.

The latest development follows an earlier judgement delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on April 29, 2026, in a case involving ADC state chairmen led by Don-Norman Obinna.

The court affirmed that the tenure of the elected state executive committees remained valid until fresh congresses were properly conducted and a national convention held.

It also stopped INEC from recognising congresses organised by the interim NWC.

The Court of Appeal upheld the judgement on June 13, 2026. However, Odion alleged that INEC continued to recognise the Mark-led leadership and accept candidates produced through its congresses and convention.

He said the forum had taken steps to challenge the commission’s actions while the dispute remained before the Supreme Court.

According to him, the forum chose to follow the legal process instead of allowing the disagreement to degenerate into violence among aggrieved party members and candidates.

“The maturity shown by the NEC Chairmen Forum as law-abiding members of society prevented a melee and saved the lives of agitated and disenchanted party members and candidates,” he said.

Odion also praised the judiciary for what he described as its courage in delivering justice, despite what he called propaganda against the courts by the dissolved interim leadership.

While awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on the earlier case, he pledged the forum’s support for Bala Gombe and expressed confidence that his leadership would bring stability to the party.

He also congratulated Bala Gombe and ADC members, declaring that “sanity” had returned to the party.

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