By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The leadership crisis engulfing the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a dramatic turn on Sunday as a faction loyal to Dumebi Kachukwu upstaged the rival camp of former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
The faction held a parallel national convention in Abuja, just hours before the Mark-led faction’s scheduled presidential primary, and adopted Kachukwu as its flagbearer for the 2027 general elections.
The move caught the Mark-led faction completely off guard, leaving Mark, Atiku, and Amaechi in a tight spot as their own primary now faces an unexpected tug of war from a rival candidate.
The non-elective special national convention was organised by the faction’s acting National Working Committee and held at A-Class Hotel, Abuja.
The newly elected National Chairman of the faction, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mohammed Bashir, presented Kachukwu with the party’s flag as a symbol of his mandate to lead the party in the forthcoming election.
The Electoral Committee Chairman and Benue State party chairman, Elias Adikwu, announced Kachukwu’s adoption, which was ratified by delegates at the convention. Alongside Bashir, other new members of the National Working Committee were elected, including Kingsley Oggah as Board of Trustees Chairman.
Speaking at the convention, acting NWC chairman Kingsley Temitope Ogah struck a defiant tone, warning that the ADC would no longer tolerate internal sabotage.
“We will not allow indiscipline, selfishness and recklessness because Nigerians are looking for alternatives and we are here to offer that alternative,” Ogah declared.
He further emphasized that the party had survived efforts by what he called “agents of destruction.”
“Those negative forces have already faded away and I want to say it clearly that the ADC is bigger than any personal interest,” Ogah said.
Ogah also extended an olive branch to members who had left the party for one reason or the other.
“Our doors are opened to them and we are building a movement that is beyond winning elections,” he stated.
He argued that the current Nigerian leadership has shown “lack of courage and ideas in tackling insecurity and resetting the economy for the good and benefit of all.”
“Nigerians are waiting and watching us. They are tired of political divisions and bitterness. They are looking for a strong platform which ADC presents,” Ogah added.
Speaking to newsmen after receiving the party’s flag, Kachukwu noted that Nigeria was facing serious economic and social challenges, including insecurity, unemployment, hardship, and national division.
According to him, many Nigerians are leaving the country due to worsening living conditions, stressing that the ADC must position itself as a credible alternative capable of restoring hope.
The faction had earlier unveiled its plans in early May, announcing a schedule of activities beginning with ward and local government congresses on May 7, followed by state congresses on May 8, ahead of the proposed special convention on May 24.
The faction insisted that its processes were in line with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and a recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The legal backdrop to Sunday’s parallel convention raises fundamental questions about the legitimacy of the Kachukwu faction’s actions, and here lies the crux of the confusion gripping the ADC.
On April 30, 2026, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous judgment by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, setting aside the Court of Appeal’s earlier order that had directed parties to maintain the “status quo ante bellum” (the state of affairs before the dispute arose) in the ADC leadership dispute.
The apex court ruled that the appellate court acted improperly by issuing such a preservative directive after it had already dismissed the appeal before it. Justice Garba held that while courts possess inherent powers to issue preservative orders to protect the subject matter of litigation, such powers cannot be exercised where there is “nothing left” to preserve. Once proceedings have been “fully, faithfully, conclusively and finally concluded,” there is no basis for such an order.
Crucially, the Supreme Court did not declare any faction as the legitimate leadership of the ADC. Instead, it directed all factions to return to the Federal High Court for the substantive determination of the leadership tussle.
However, hours after the Supreme Court ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restored the names of former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary on its official portal. Also reinstated were Dr Mani Ibrahim Ahmed as National Treasurer, Akibu Dalhatu as National Financial Secretary, and Prof Oserheimhen Osunbor as National Legal Adviser.
This administrative recognition by INEC effectively legitimises the Mark-led faction as the party’s national leadership in the eyes of the electoral umpire. The commission had earlier, on April 1, removed the Mark-led leadership’s names from its portal following the Court of Appeal’s status quo order. The restoration signals a major shift in the protracted leadership crisis.
Reacting to the development, the Mark-led ADC welcomed the Supreme Court ruling, describing it as “a clear and unequivocal affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate.”
But Dumebi Kachukwu offered a sharply different interpretation. In a statement issued after the Supreme Court judgment, he noted that the apex court “has not directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise any group as the authentic leadership of the ADC.”
He argued that the dispute remains unresolved and should be settled in accordance with the party’s constitution and the rule of law, with the Federal High Court yet to make a final determination. He likened the dispute to “two individuals claiming ownership of a stolen vehicle,” arguing that neither faction has a valid claim to the party’s leadership.
He further referenced a recent Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, which, according to him, affirmed that the tenure of State Working Committees remains valid and that only constitutionally recognised organs of the party are empowered to conduct congresses.
Kachukwu had previously declared that the party is not for sale and would field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
“The ADC is not for sale. Our party will field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections. Those who tried to hijack our party have been shown the way out through the same back door they came in,” Kachukwu said in an earlier statement in Abuja.
The Rival Primary: Atiku, Amaechi Battle for Ticket
While the Kachukwu faction held its convention, the David Mark-led ADC pressed ahead with its own primary scheduled for Monday, May 25.
The three presidential aspirants — Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen — have all obtained nomination forms and were screened by a committee. The screening took place at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on Wednesday, May 20.
Attempts by the ADC leadership to broker a consensus among the three aspirants collapsed, forcing the party to resort to direct primary elections.
Party sources disclosed that ADC National Chairman Senator David Mark made two attempts to prevail on the aspirants to agree on a consensus arrangement, but both efforts failed.
“They have met twice with the National Chairman, Senator David Mark, who appealed to them to accept consensus, which does not appear to go down well with them,” a party source disclosed.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed that the party would hold direct primaries to elect its presidential candidate.
“We are not holding national convention. We are going for direct primaries. Thereafter the NEC will hold on May 30 to ratify the results,” Abdullahi disclosed.
The party has appointed former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed to conduct the presidential primary election, with Prof. Yisa Gana serving as Secretary.
Amaechi Insists on Direct Primary
Speaking with journalists after his screening, Amaechi said he would accept a consensus arrangement provided the process was transparent and inclusive.
“I’m a member of the party. So, if that is the party’s decision, and it is a process all of us participate in, then why not?” Amaechi said.
However, he insisted that he did not purchase the party’s nomination forms to become anybody’s running mate. Amaechi bragged about his experience and urged the ADC to consider capacity in choosing its presidential candidate.
“I am young, I am the most experienced, and I believe I have the capacity. Go back to Rivers State and see what I have done. Go back to Ministry of Transportation and see what I have done, and assess it and see whether I can turn the country around. And I will, in four years, turn the country around,” Amaechi said.
He also advised Nigerians to vote for merit, not religion or region.
“It is the turn of Nigerians because you see there is no market for Christians, neither is there a market for Muslims or a market for northerners or southerners. Nigerians are suffering. The current president has put us in this suffering. I don’t know why he wants to run,” Amaechi stated.
Atiku’s Final Attempt
Atiku Abubakar had indicated that the party would first pursue a consensus arrangement but would resort to direct primaries if the process failed. He also disclosed that the 2027 race would be his final attempt at the presidency.
In a statement issued after his screening, the former vice president unveiled what he described as an economic rescue blueprint and security action plan for a nation “bleeding from economic distress and escalating insecurity.”
Discussion about this post