Beatrice Gondyi Bauchi
The crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State took a dramatic turn on Saturday as a faction loyal to Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) announced its mass resignation from the party.
In a communiqué issued after a meeting at the residence of Hon. Mijiyewa Umaru Kugama, the stakeholders declared a total loss of confidence in the ADC leadership at both state and national levels, citing a complete collapse of internal democracy, disregard for court orders, and systematic exclusion of genuine party members.
The development marks a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the aggrieved stakeholders mandating Senator Binani to lead them into a “more credible and democratic political platform.”
The Binani faction’s resignation did not occur in a vacuum. It is the culmination of weeks of intense internal crisis, legal battles, and a perceived hijack of the party structure by rival interests.
A central grievance highlighted in the communiqué is the party leadership’s deliberate ignoring of valid court judgments. Search results confirm that at least two separate courts issued orders halting the ADC congresses in Adamawa State, yet the party proceeded regardless.
On April 9, 2026, Justice Ahmed Isa of an Adamawa State High Court issued an order restraining the ADC from conducting its state congress pending the determination of a suit brought by the factional state chairman, Comrade Shehu Yuhanna.
Despite this, the Congress Committee chairman, General Ishaya Bauka (Rtd), declared the court order an “academic exercise” and insisted that the congresses would continue .
Similarly, Justice Kyanson Lawanson of another Adamawa high court granted an interim order on April 10, 2026, halting the congress for the election of a state chairman.
The Binani faction accused the party leadership of lawlessness for proceeding with the congresses despite these subsisting injunctions.
The ADC in Adamawa has been plagued by a complex leadership tussle involving at least three parallel factions.
· The Dasin Faction (Backed by Babachir Lawal & Atiku): This group is led by Barrister Sadiq Dasin and enjoys the backing of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar .
The Komsiri Faction (Backed by Binani): This faction, led by Saidu Komsiri, is the one now resigning en masse. Senator Binani, a prominent governorship aspirant, is aligned with this group .
·The Yohanna Faction: Comrade Shehu Yohanna, who claims to be the authentic state chairman before the coalition took over, has also approached the courts to challenge his exclusion .
The Binani faction alleges that the congresses conducted under General Bauka were manipulated to favor the Dasin/Babachir camp, effectively imposing a leadership structure against the will of the majority.
The stakeholders’ communiqué specifically mentions “systematic exclusion, imposition, and intimidation” of genuine members.
This is corroborated by reports that key political figures, including Senator Binani and former Senator Ishaku Abbo, rejected the legitimacy of the congresses organized by the Babachir Lawal-backed faction and declared a boycott of the exercise .
Former Senator Ishaku Abbo described the situation as “troubling” and “self-inflicted injuries,” expressing concern that the crisis was unfolding in the home state of the party’s national leader, Atiku Abubakar.
The Adamawa crisis is a microcosm of a larger national leadership dispute within the ADC. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has withdrawn recognition of the party’s factions, refusing to monitor their congresses or accept correspondence from either the David Mark-led faction or the Nafiu Bala faction.
Just days before the Binani faction’s resignation, a factional state chairman, Raji Zumo (aligned with the Binani camp), had announced the suspension of Atiku Abubakar and Babachir Lawal from the party, accusing them of fostering disunity and disregarding court orders . However, the ADC national leadership, through its Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed the suspension, describing those behind it as “jesters” .
This dismissal likely further inflamed the grievances of the Binani faction, confirming their belief that the national leadership is complicit in the marginalization of their group.
The Way Forward
With the collapse of internal democracy confirmed to their satisfaction, the stakeholders have resolved to:
· Reject all congress outcomes as null and void.
· Embark on a mass political realignment to a more credible platform.
· Mandate Senator Binani to lead the transition into a viable political platform to contest the 2027 governorship election.
“We refuse to be part of a system that thrives on injustice, impunity, and illegality,” the communiqué read, signaling the beginning of a new political direction for the aggrieved stakeholders.
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