- Apex Court Adjourns Leadership Tussle Case To April 22
- PDP Rules Out Alliance With ADC, To Contest 2027 Alone
- Drama As Oyegun Goofs, Shouts APC At ADC Convention
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) crisis has escalated further after the David Mark-led faction expelled former Deputy National Chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe and House of Representatives member Leke Abejide, citing “anti-party activities” and attempts to destabilize the party.
The expulsions, announced at the party’s National Convention in Abuja on April 14, 2026, deepen internal divisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party also expelled several members like Kingsley Temitope, Obinna Norman, Kennedy Odiong, and Stella Chukwuma.
Binos Yaroe, the Senator representing Adamawa South, moved a motion to expel the party members, and it was adopted by delegates through a voice vote.
Addressing delegates at the event, Chinedu Idigo, the party’s organising secretary, accused the ousted members of undermining the party by fueling internal divisions.
“They have sown seeds of discord within the party and sought to create factions, doubts, and confusion across the polity, the public, and regulatory authorities, thereby causing instability within the party,” he said.
“They were given time to retrace their actions but failed to do so.”
Since July 2025, when an opposition coalition took over the ADC’s leadership, the party has been embroiled in internal disputes, with Bala Gombe alleging that the Mark-led leadership was illegally appointed as the national chairman.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed reports suggesting it is negotiating a merger or electoral alliance with the ADC or any other political party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party’s National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, made the clarification during a National Working Committee meeting in Abuja, the first since the reopening of the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza.
Mohammed said the PDP remains fully committed to contesting the 2027 elections independently, stressing that it has no discussions or arrangements with any political party regarding a coalition.
He described such claims as misleading, adding that statements attributed to Taminu Turaki were false and capable of creating unnecessary confusion within the party and the public.
According to him, the PDP is a stable and united political platform focused on rebuilding its structures and preparing credible candidates for the next general elections.
He added that the party has resolved its recent internal challenges and is now stronger, more organised, and better positioned to regain national leadership.
Mohammed also said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially recognised the party’s leadership, describing it as confirmation of the PDP’s legal and institutional stability.
He assured party members that preparations for 2027 are underway, with renewed focus on grassroots mobilisation and presenting policies that reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.
In another development, the Supreme Court has fixed April 22 to hear an appeal arising from the ADC leadership crisis.
A five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba adjourned the case to allow parties to complete the filing and exchange of legal processes within strict timelines.
The court directed the Mark-led faction to serve all respondents within 24 hours, after which responses must be filed within three days, and replies within one day.
The apex court emphasised that all briefs must be exchanged before April 20 to enable an accelerated hearing.
Following the ruling, counsel to the Mark-led faction, Jubril Okutepa (SAN), withdrew a motion seeking to stay execution of the Court of Appeal judgment, noting it had become unnecessary due to the expedited hearing. The Supreme Court subsequently struck out the motion.
Justice Garba indicated the court’s readiness to hear the matter immediately if parties had complied with filing requirements, stressing that priority would be given to the substantive appeal rather than interlocutory applications.
The dispute stems from a March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which ordered the party to maintain the status quo amid a leadership tussle involving aggrieved members led by Nafiu-Bala Gombe.
In the appeal, the Mark-led faction argued that the appellate court exceeded its jurisdiction by intervening in what it described as the internal affairs of the party.
Respondents in the suit include the ADC, its National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu.
The appellants are also seeking orders restraining INEC from recognising any leadership outside the current structure led by Mark, as well as halting proceedings in a related suit before the Federal High Court pending determination of the appeal.
INEC had earlier removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its records, citing the appellate court ruling, and maintained it would not recognise any faction until the dispute is resolved.
A mild drama played out at the just concluded ADC convention when former All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, now with the ADC mistakenly called out ‘APC’ while on the podium.
The slip of tongue, which occurred during Oyegun’s address, briefly stirred reactions from delegates present, many of whom responded with laughter.
Reacting to the gaffe, Oyegun said; “I think I need to drink something strong to take that out of my system”.
The incident stirred some reactions from Nigerians on X.
