Founder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ralph Nwosu, has said the party will continue with its planned congresses and national convention despite the ongoing leadership crisis and the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the matter.
Nwosu made the declaration on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, The Morning Brief, where he insisted that the party would not allow the electoral body to disrupt its internal activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the leadership of the party has already resolved to move forward with its scheduled programmes while pursuing legal remedies over the dispute.
“We are taking the necessary action both in court and with INEC, but we will not allow INEC to derail any of our programmes,” he said.
“After that malicious INEC release, our chairman and the rest of us sat together and resolved to move ahead.”
The ADC has recently been embroiled in a leadership tussle involving rival factions within the party, a situation that prompted INEC to withdraw recognition of some party officials pending the resolution of ongoing court cases.
However, Nwosu maintained that the party had acted within the provisions of the law and had properly notified the commission of its planned activities.
“We submitted our programme to INEC according to the law, and they endorsed it - all the dates were approved. By the Electoral Act, whether they attend or not is their own decision; we have not violated any provision,” he stated.
He also disclosed that the party’s congresses had already commenced across various levels and that the national convention scheduled for the 14th would proceed as planned.
“The congresses have already started. Our national convention, slated for the 14th, will also go ahead, where we will validate everything we have done,” Nwosu said.
The ADC founder further emphasised that the party was focused on building a leadership structure driven by individuals committed to reforming Nigeria’s political system.
“We don’t want opportunists in the ADC; we want mission-driven leaders who have the courage to challenge a bad system,” he added.
Nwosu also noted that the party would continue to notify INEC of its activities, including future programmes related to the selection of candidates for elections.
“If they don’t accept it, we will publish it to all Nigerian media because they represent the people,” he said.
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