The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has formally ratified a new National Working Committee (NWC) led by former Senate President, David Mark, even as it expelled factional chairman Nafiu Bala and House of Representatives member Leke Abejide over alleged anti-party activities.
The decisions were reached at the party’s National Convention held Tuesday at the Rainbow Event Centre in Abuja, drawing more than 1,500 delegates from across the country.
The convention marked the official handover of leadership from former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, to the Mark-led executive, consolidating a transition that began in 2025 following a coalition arrangement within the party.
Mark, who had been functioning in an interim capacity, was overwhelmingly affirmed as substantive National Chairman, while former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was ratified as National Secretary.
Delegates also endorsed the resolution of the party’s 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which dissolved the previous NWC and transferred authority to the new leadership. The move, party officials said, was aimed at repositioning the ADC as a viable opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a significant development, the convention approved far-reaching amendments to the party’s constitution. Chairman of the Electoral Sub-Committee, former Imo State governor Emeka Ihedioha, announced that 1,471 out of 1,576 accredited delegates voted in favour of the amendments, representing 94 per cent approval, with 11 votes voided.
He declared that the outcome effectively validated the revised constitution, providing a legal framework for the party’s new leadership structure.
Earlier, Chairman of the Legal and Convention Processes Committee, Olumide Apata, led the adoption of resolutions from the 97th, 98th, and 99th NEC meetings.
Providing details, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, said the resolutions included waivers on membership requirements, suspension of zoning arrangements for party offices, and removal of provisions mandating that vacant positions be filled from the same geopolitical zone.
However, the convention was not without controversy, as delegates approved the expulsion of several members accused of destabilising the party. Those affected include Bala, Abejide, Kingsley Temitope, Noman Obinna, Kennedy Odion, Stella Chukwuma, and others.
The motion for their expulsion was moved by Senator Binos Yaroe and seconded by Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, before being adopted through a voice vote.
Speaking on the decision, Idigo accused the expelled members of fomenting division and creating parallel structures within the party.
According to him, their actions generated confusion among party supporters, the public, and regulatory authorities, adding that they failed to take corrective steps despite being given the opportunity.
The expulsions underscore the deepening internal crisis within the ADC, which has lingered since mid-2025 when a coalition of opposition figures assumed control of the party’s leadership.
Bala had persistently challenged the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership, insisting that the process that produced him as national chairman was unlawful.
The dispute has also drawn in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which recently derecognised the Mark-led faction following an interim ruling by the Court of Appeal. The matter is now before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which is scheduled to hear an appeal filed by Mark on April 22.
Meanwhile, the convention provided a platform for opposition leaders to express broader concerns about governance and Nigeria’s democratic process.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, criticised INEC, alleging that the electoral body was being used to weaken democracy.
He warned that opposition forces would resist any attempt to undermine democratic principles, stressing the need to safeguard the integrity of the electoral system.
Also speaking, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, raised alarm over the country’s rising debt under President Bola Tinubu.
Obi argued that despite the removal of fuel subsidy, borrowing had continued to rise sharply, while key infrastructure projects remained underfunded, a trend he described as unsustainable.
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