A fresh protest threat has emerged in the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as a group claiming to represent the party’s National Executive Committee chairmen has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe as its national chairman.
The group, known as the National Executive Committee Chairmen Forum, warned that it would mobilise members for a nationwide demonstration if the electoral commission failed to implement the recent Federal High Court judgment nullifying the interim leadership led by Senator David Mark.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the forum’s Secretary, Kennedy Odion, demanded the removal of Mark and members of his dissolved Interim National Working Committee from INEC’s official portal. He also called for the recognition of Bala Gombe and other officials the group considers the party’s legitimate leaders.
Beyond the leadership issue, the forum wants INEC to reopen its portal to enable the ADC to conduct fresh primaries where necessary and submit its candidates for the 2027 general elections.
Odion argued that the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja invalidated decisions taken by the Mark-led interim leadership, including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.
He also said the ruling affected other candidates who emerged through congresses and the national convention organised under the interim leadership, insisting that the processes were inconsist