ADC crisis: Mark bloc holds grip on states

Despite a Federal High Court judgement nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by former Senate President David Mark, the faction has retained control of the party’s structures in several states, with its supporters insisting that the ruling will not stand.

Checks by The PUNCH across the states showed that while the Mark-led faction remained firmly in control in many states, the rival group led by Nafiu Bala Gombe was preparing to take over some state chapters, citing the November 5 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, nullified the emergence of Mark as the party’s National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary. It also invalidated decisions taken under their leadership, including the party’s presidential primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate for the 2027 election.

The Mark-led leadership has since appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission to refrain from taking steps that could pre-empt the determination of the appeal.

Speaking on the development, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the ADC would participate in the 2027 general elections, but warned that candidates produced by the Mark faction, including Atiku Abubakar, might be excluded from the ballot.

Keyamo said the fate of the candidates would depend on the final determination of the party’s leadership dispute by the Supreme Court.

The minister made the clarification in a post on his verified X handle, @fkeyamo, on Sunday, following concerns that the recent Federal High Court judgment against the Mark-led leadership could jeopardise the ADC’s participation in the elections.