A leadership tussle has erupted in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party trade words over the legitimacy of its new executives.

While INEC insists that the ADC has not met the conditions required for official recognition of its new leaders, the party maintains that due process was followed in the transfer of power.

The crisis began after the former National Chairman of the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, alongside other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), resigned on July 1 following the adoption of the ADC as the platform for an opposition coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in 2027.

At the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja on July 29, former Senate President David Mark was formally inaugurated as National Chairman, while ex-Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was appointed National Secretary.

Nwosu handed over leadership to Mark in the presence of invited INEC officials.

However, not all members accepted the transition. Nafiu Bala, the ADC governorship candidate in Gombe during the 2023 elections, described the takeover by Mark and Aregbesola as “an unprecedented assault on democracy.”

Bala accused the party’s former leaders of abandoning their constitutional responsibilities and surrendering control to “powerful outsiders” with no ties to the ADC. He subsequently declared himself interim National Chairman.

Despite the high-profile inauguration, Punch noted that INEC’s records have not been updated to reflect the leadership changes.

As of Saturday, the commission’s website still listed Ralph Nwosu as National Chairman, Said Abdullahi as National Secretary, Kelvin Alagoa as National Treasurer, Ifeyinwa Ntima as National Financial Secretary, and Ujunwa Onwuasoeze as National Legal Adviser.

‘Conditions Not Met’ — INEC

Speaking on the development, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, told Sunday Punch that the ADC had not met the requirements necessary for recognition of the new leadership.

She said, “They have not completed all the processes required for recognition. ADC is yet to provide the commission with sample signatures of the interim Chairman/Secretary.”

According to INEC regulations, political parties are required to submit detailed documentation before any leadership change can be recognised.

This includes formally documented resolutions, verified signatures from authorised officials, and strict adherence to the party’s constitutional procedures.

However, the National Secretary of Membership Mobilisation and Registration of the ADC, Sadiq Yar’adua, stated that the party had communicated the leadership change to INEC.

He said the party was not worried about the delay in recognising the Mark-led executive, stating that the ADC had followed the normal process.

Yar’adua said, “The party has communicated all the changes that happened to INEC. So, if they don’t reflect it on their website, it shouldn’t bother me. It shouldn’t concern me, because they have their own forces and I cannot influence them.

“As a party, we are not worried at all by the delay. The constitution of the country and that of the ADC are very clear as to how the process should be done. Why should I be concerned about non-action on the part of INEC? We have done the needful.”

Yar’adua accused INEC of compromise on what he described as untimely political activities favouring the APC.

He said, “INEC can decide what they want to do or not do, just like what we are witnessing with campaign posters and activities for the President across the country. Go to Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt, you will see Tinubu’s pictures everywhere. These are illegalities, and INEC has kept quiet, not doing anything just because Tinubu is the President. That is enough to give cover to such illegality.

“INEC is shirking its basic responsibility of telling people that it is not time for campaigns yet. The constitution bars anyone from campaigning before INEC opens the field, but INEC is not discharging its responsibility.”

Additionally, Bolaji Abdullahi, the Publicity Secretary of the ADC, stated that the issue had been resolved.

He noted that the Mark-led leadership would be officially recognised at any moment.

“The delay is purely administrative, not political, and it has been resolved,” Abdullahi said.

According to Sunday Punch, the ADC made an error in its notification of leadership change to INEC.

It was gathered that the report of the ADC 99th NEC meeting forwarded to INEC was signed by Nwosu and Abdullahi alone as former chairman and secretary, respectively.

Insiders in the ADC told Punch that the report ought to have been co-signed by Nwosu, Mark, Abdullahi and Aregbesola.

An insider said, “To be sincere, the delay isn’t INEC’s fault. The report of the last NEC meeting we held was not signed by all the officials who were supposed to sign it. The old chairman and secretary of the ADC, Nwosu and Abdullahi, were the only ones that signed the report.

“Whereas, the new chairman and secretary and their predecessors were supposed to be the signatories to the report. That way, INEC will be able to authenticate the signatures. But only Nwosu and Abdullahi conveyed what happened at the NEC meeting to INEC.

“However, necessary corrections have been made, but you know when you are dealing with official and political matters of this nature, you’re likely to encounter delays. Our people have been there several times but they are yet to get it sorted. There was a time they sat for a whole day but couldn’t see the official. That said, everything will be sorted out.”