The embattled National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, former Senate President David Mark, former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the ADC National Secretary and other party leaders have declared that there would be no easy victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the party’s national convention themed, ‘So That Nigeria May Work,’ held on Tuesday in Abuja, the ADC leaders strongly criticised the Tinubu-led administration over the worsening insecurity and economic hardship in the country, insisting that Nigerians were facing unprecedented levels of suffering.

Other ADC leaders, including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Governors, Peter Obi (Anambra) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), described the security situation as deteriorating, alleging that poverty has more than doubled under the present administration.

However, the faction of the ADC led by Nafiu Bala dismissed the Abuja convention, stating that their own bloc would hold a separate convention after the Supreme Court’s judgment.

On April 1, INEC announced the delisting of key ADC figures, including Mark and Aregbesola, from its official register. The commission explained that the action was taken in compliance with a court order directing it to preserve the status quo pending the final determination of the case at the trial court.

The party has faced a prolonged leadership crisis since 2025, when Mark’s group formed a new National Working Committee, which was contested by other factions within the ADC.

The dispute stemmed from disagreements over the tenure of former chairman Ralph Nwosu, which ended in August 2022. While Nwosu was said to have endorsed a 2025 transition plan, his deputy, Nafiu Gombe, insisted that he should assume the position of acting chairman after Nwosu’s exit.

The disagreement later escalated into factional struggles for control of the party, resulting in multiple legal battles at both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and raising concerns about the ADC’s preparedness for the 2027 elections.

In response, Mark called for Amupitan’s resignation on April 2 and maintained that the party would proceed with its scheduled activities.

In a related development, a faction backed by the ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, announced a caretaker committee during a National Executive Committee meeting convened by some state chairmen of the party.

As a result, the party is now split into three factions: one led by Mark representing the coalition bloc, another led by Gombe, and a NEC-backed group aligned with Kachikwu and headed by Kingsley Ogga, the Kogi State ADC chairman.

Despite these developments, Mark, Aregbesola and others were voted as members of ADC National Working Committee by over 3,000 delegates at the Abuja convention on Tuesday.

The convention also affirmed the National Working Committee led by Mark and adopted the party’s revised constitution and manifesto.

In his remarks, Mark, who declared that the ADC cannot be wished away or litigated into silence, added that the party belongs to the Nigerian people, and that Nigerians have shown their support by turning out in large numbers today.

He stated, “I say to those who orchestrated these obstacles: you have not weakened us; you have welded us together. Every attempt to suppress this party has only deepened the resolve of our members, widened our coalition, and reminded Nigerians why a strong opposition is not optional; it is essential to democracy’s survival.

Across Nigeria, there is a growing awareness by a generation that desires a different country, a country that nurtures their talents and supports their ambitions.

“This generation is asking tough questions of leadership and those who seek to lead. We are greatly delighted to see that under the harsh light of this scrutiny, the African Democratic Congress is emerging as a credible alternative, not necessarily because of who we are, but because our vision and ambition align with their own.

‘’The reason we are here, the genuine recommitment to putting the people first, is the very reason that they continue to believe, despite the daunting challenges they face today, that Nigeria, this great country, will rediscover itself.

“We in the African Democratic Congress recognise this moment as a moment of great opportunity, as well as a moment of great responsibility. Our objective is not merely political success or a quest for power. We see it as a duty to ourselves and to posterity to demonstrate to all Nigerians that something good can come out of politics, and that democracy can actually deliver a better life than they seek. This is the fundamental goal of our party.’’

The former Senate President stated that in the ADC, the constitution will be supreme, adding that every member, regardless of position, will be accountable to the rules and values that define the party.

He continued, “No member of this party, no matter how highly placed, will be bigger than the party, and no member, no matter how lowly placed, will be ignored. This is my personal commitment to you all.

“In the ADC, we shall return politics to its true purpose: to improve the lives of the people. This is the central ideology of our party: to make life better for the people. The resources of Nigeria will be deployed in the service of the majority of Nigerians. We will invest in our people, make them more productive and more competitive. We will protect people and provide the environment for them to thrive.”

On his part, Aregbesola said President Tinubu ought to resign following the deteriorating insecurity and economic hardship in Nigeria.

“People who deliberately split the People’s Democratic Party are today being falsely roped in as political strategists. Since when has criminality become a strategy? The ADC does not, and we never owe its existence to any individual or group, including an electoral body masquerading as a neutral umpire with its leadership in the attire of political partisanship.’’

Aregbesola expressed concern that transportation costs have risen so sharply that it is now impractical for some workers to commute to work.

“Ordinarily, having made such a promise and fared woefully, an honest president should simply step down and not seek re-election. Rather, what we are witnessing is the most desperate attempt by a candidate in Nigerian electoral history to retain power at all costs, even if it means bringing down the entire democratic system. We have the duty to stop scammers from retaining power,’’ the ex-Tinubu ally railed.

He also cautioned that there would be no automatic or ceremonial ascension to power in the Presidential Villa in 2027.

“There will be no coronation in 2027. There will be no Kabiyesi in the Presidential Villa come 2027,” describing the president’s style of governance as autocratic, stating that under Tinubu, being in the opposition has effectively been treated as an offence.

Former Vice President Atiku declared that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, would not escape accountability over allegations of being used to undermine democracy in Nigeria.

“I remember when the APC was being formed, the entire political leadership in this country came to my house. They said, ‘If you don’t come into the APC, this is not going to be possible.’ They literally compelled me to join the APC. Only for us to enter the APC, our economy is gone, our sovereignty is gone, our security is gone, our education is gone, and our infrastructure is gone. The healthcare is gone.

“Now, we must rise and make sure that there is change, genuine change, a serious change to rectify all these challenges that are happening in the country. I am in this game. We are going to win.’’

He added, “Let the chairman know we are not going to let him get away with his illegalities. We will not. And I hope we will have your support and cooperation to make sure we return to true democracy, to true development in all aspects of human endeavour.”

Obi stressed the need for Nigerians to come together in unity to salvage the country from Tinubu’s leadership.

He stated, “The country is so divided; we need unity. The present government has ensured that it will remain more divided. Your unity is important. Your country is collapsing, and if you allow it to go further, it will be worse. If you check your indices today, when the present government came into being, Nigeria’s ranking in terrorism was number eight.’’

A former Rivers State governor, Amaechi, lampooned the Tinubu administration, saying, ‘’How can a man who said he is a democrat, who claimed he fought on the side of NADECO, be stopping democracy? These guys don’t care. What they care about is money. That’s all they care about.

“They are using the institutions of government against the people of Nigeria. He doesn’t care. So, what kind of man is he? Let me repeat for those who attacked me.

If you, Nigerians, are not angry and hungry, I am. The situation is bad.

It’s terrible. And if you think President Tinubu will give you power, you are wasting your time. The ADC must come together. Decide on a viable candidate. It must be a viable candidate.’’

Reacting, Nafiu dismissed the convention by Mark’s bloc, describing it as illegitimate and a “mockery.”

Nafiu’s Chief of Staff, Bala Sani, said, “Of course, we are not in support of their (David Mark) convention. To us, it is a mockery and a joke. On our part, we are following the judgment of the Court of Appeal. That was why we stalled our planned convention and related activities pending the ruling or the judgment.

Sani explained that the Bala faction had earlier fixed dates for its convention, but was forced to suspend the process following INEC’s refusal to recognise Nafiu Gombe’s leadership.

“On the convention, we actually fixed a date for April 3 and later September 9, but had to hold on after INEC refused to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe following the listing of the David Mark-led executives.

“As I said earlier, the convention has to be shelved pending the outcome of the court judgment. We, the law-abiding citizens, cannot do things outside the court’s directives or against the court’s judgments. So, we are waiting,” he stated.

Court adjourns appeal

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has fixed April 22 for the hearing of an appeal arising from the leadership crisis in the ADC.

The appeal was filed by David Mark, challenging earlier court decisions on the dispute.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed the date on Tuesday, after granting an accelerated hearing in the appeal marked SC/CV/180/2026.

The appeal is against the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed Mark’s earlier appeal challenging a September 4, 2025, ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In the earlier decision, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court had refused to grant injunctive relief sought in an ex parte application filed by a chieftain of the party, Nafiu Gombe.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, the apex court directed Mark’s counsel, Jibril Okutepa (SAN), to file and serve the appellant’s brief within a short timeframe, in line with the accelerated hearing granted.

It also ordered the respondents to file their briefs within three days of service, while the appellant is to file a reply, if necessary, within one day after receiving the respondents’ processes.

Similarly, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned proceedings indefinitely in a suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 challenging the David Mark leadership of the ADC, pending the determination of a jurisdictional dispute now before the Supreme Court.

Justice Nwite ordered that the matter be put on hold, despite strong arguments by parties urging the court to proceed with the hearing of the substantive case.

The decision followed submissions by counsel to the plaintiff, Nafiu, Lukman Fagbemi, on the effect of a pending interlocutory appeal filed by the second defendant, David Mark, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.

Earlier, Fagbemi informed the court that the Supreme Court had fixed April 22, 2026, for the hearing of the appeal after striking out an application for a stay of proceedings filed by the second defendant.

He urged the court to suspend further proceedings, arguing that the apex court was now seized of the issue of jurisdiction and that all parties were bound to await its decision.

However, his position was opposed by counsel to the first defendant (ADC), S.E. Aruwa, who maintained that there was no subsisting order staying proceedings.

Aruwa argued that the interlocutory appeal did not automatically operate as a stay and drew the court’s attention to the earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal directing accelerated hearing of the case.

He further relied on section 83(6)(a) of the Electoral Act 2026, submitting that the matter was time-sensitive in view of the 2027 general election timetable and the imminent commencement of party primaries.

Counsel to David Mark, Suleiman Usman, as well as counsel to the third defendant (Rauf Aregbesola) and fifth defendant (Ralph Nwosu), aligned with the position that the court could proceed with a hearing, particularly in the absence of any order staying proceedings.

They urged the court to at least take pending applications or even hear the substantive suit, while reserving judgment until the Supreme Court delivers its ruling.

Despite the consensus among the parties, Nwite held that the circumstances of the case required judicial restraint.

The judge noted that the facts presented by counsel were largely undisputed but emphasised that the core issue before the Supreme Court bordered on the jurisdiction of the trial court.

“I am of the view, and I so hold, that it would not serve any purpose if the jurisdiction of this honourable court is being challenged at the apex court,” he said.

Nwite further held that proceeding with the matter in the face of the pending appeal would be inappropriate.

“Therefore, the reasonable thing to do is to await the decision of the Supreme Court,” he added.

In another related matter, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered parties in a suit challenging the leadership structure of the ADC to maintain the status quo and refrain from taking any further steps that could undermine the case before it.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026, was instituted by seven plaintiffs—Don Obinna, Johnny Derek, Obah Ehigiator, Olona Yinka, Dr Charles  Omideji, Samuel Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick—who sued on behalf of themselves and “all the state chairmen and the State Executive Committees of ADC.”

Joined as defendants are the ADC, David Mark, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

At the resumed hearing, counsel for the 6th defendant, Mr Marcel Ebinine, moved an oral application seeking an adjournment to enable his client to respond to the originating processes filed by the plaintiffs.

Following the application, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the request but issued consequential directives aimed at preserving the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.

The court held that all pending applications would be heard together with the substantive matter, noting that the processes were “all fought on affidavit evidence.”

Justice Abdulmalik ordered that all parties should file their consequential processes to ensure progress at the next date.

The judge further directed strict restraint on all parties in the dispute, warning against any action that could prejudice the proceedings.

“I also order that all parties in this suit shall maintain the status quo ante bellum and shall not take further steps in this matter so as not to render nugatory the proceedings before the court,” the order stated.

In addition, the court mandated proper service on all parties to ensure an effective hearing. The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 23, 2026, for a definite hearing.