The African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former Peter Obi have protested the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-recognise Senator David Mark as the National Chairman of the ADC and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary.
INEC announced the decision on Wednesday through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna. The commission said the action was taken in compliance with a court order directing it to maintain the status quo pending the determination of a lawsuit challenging the legality of Mark’s leadership of the opposition party.
The decision followed INEC’s removal of the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal as the recognised national chairman and national secretary of the ADC. The commission also stated that it would not recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, who approached the court seeking to be declared the party’s national chairman.
Haruna explained that the commission had received conflicting legal communications from opposing factions within the party, each demanding official recognition. One of the letters, from Suleiman Usman SAN & Co., urged INEC not to recognise Gombe as acting national chairman because of a pending case at the Federal High Court.
Another letter from Summit Law Chambers, however, attached the certified true copy of a Court of Appeal judgment and asked the commission to enforce the ruling by ceasing recognition of Mark and Aregbesola. The lawyers also requested the removal of their names from the INEC portal and called on the commission to refrain from dealing with any actions taken by the pair on behalf of the party.
INEC said the appellate court judgment, delivered on March 12, 2026, dismissed Mark’s interlocutory appeal and ordered parties to preserve the status quo while the case is determined. The court also directed an accelerated hearing of the suit at the Federal High Court because of the electoral timetable.
According to the commission, the dispute stems from the emergence of a new National Working Committee led by Mark after a National Executive Council meeting in July 2025, which followed the resignation of the previous leadership.
Gombe, who was then the party’s Vice National Chairman, rejected the process and argued that he should automatically assume leadership after the resignation of former chairman Ralph Okey Nwosu. He subsequently filed a suit at the Federal High Court seeking orders to restrain INEC from recognising Mark and Aregbesola and to compel the commission to recognise him as acting national chairman.
After reviewing the legal processes and the Court of Appeal’s directives, INEC said it resolved at its March 31, 2026 meeting to maintain the status quo ante bellum. The commission also announced that it would suspend all engagement with factions of the ADC until the case is decided by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Reacting to the decision, ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi rejected INEC’s interpretation of the court ruling. He argued that the status quo referred to the situation before the legal dispute began, when Mark was already leading the party.
Abdullahi warned that any attempt to alter that arrangement suggests a plot by forces opposed to democratic principles. He insisted that the party would resist what he described as attempts to undermine its leadership structure.
The PDP, through its spokesman Ini Ememobong, also criticised the electoral body, describing the decision as a calculated move aimed at weakening opposition politics in the country.
Similarly, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, cautioned that INEC’s decision could trigger political tension if it is perceived as partisan. He warned that the development could have serious consequences if the commission fails to maintain neutrality in the dispute.
The opposition groups have called on their supporters to remain vigilant and mobilise in defence of democratic institutions as the legal battle over the ADC leadership continues.
