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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding the immediate restoration of the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) on its official portal.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the ADC National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufai, warned that failure by INEC to comply would trigger nationwide protests, including the occupation of INEC offices by party youths and civil society groups.
Mark, a former Senate President, assumed leadership of the party following the resignation of Ralph Nwosu and other members of the NWC, after the ADC was adopted by leading opposition figures as a coalition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the party has since been engulfed in a leadership tussle, with former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Gombe, also laying claim to the party’s leadership.
The crisis deepened last week when INEC withdrew recognition of the Mark-led NWC and removed the party’s leadership from its portal, citing a ruling by the Court of Appeal directing all parties in the suit to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending final determination.
Rufai criticised the electoral body’s action, describing it as unconstitutional and partisan, and called for the resignation of INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu. He also demanded a public apology from the commission to Nigerians.
He urged INEC to respect the rule of law by refraining from interpreting court orders, stressing that such responsibility rests solely with the judiciary, and called on the commission to maintain neutrality in its operations.
Rufai warned that failure to meet the party’s demands within the stipulated timeframe would result in coordinated nationwide civic action across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, insisting that such protests would be peaceful and lawful.
He further appealed to the judiciary to clarify its position to prevent misinterpretation of its orders and safeguard the integrity of the legal system.
According to him, the Mark-led NWC emerged following the party’s National Executive Committee meeting held on July 29, 2025, where the former leadership was dissolved. He noted that INEC had initially verified and recognised the new leadership, uploading it on its portal on September 9, 2025, without any objections.
Rufai questioned what had changed since then, attributing the reversal to alleged political pressure and interference, while accusing some individuals who had earlier resigned of attempting to challenge a process they no longer had legal standing in.
Also speaking at the briefing, civil society leader Ibrahim Garba Wala alleged that certain forces were using INEC to undermine opposition parties, warning against any attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
He insisted that such moves would be resisted by Nigerians, describing them as anti-democratic and unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.
