No less than six state chapters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have suspended their congresses and different scheduled celebration actions following the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee’s (INEC) derecognition of factional leaderships inside the celebration.
The event comes amid a deepening inner disaster within the ADC since an opposition coalition assumed management of the celebration in July 2025, triggering a chronic energy battle involving a number of factions, together with these led by Nafiu Bala and the David Mark–aligned bloc, each laying declare to regulate of the celebration construction.
The dispute escalated into litigation, prompting INEC on April 1 to derecognise the Bala and Mark-led factions, citing a March 12 Courtroom of Attraction judgment. The electoral physique additionally declared that it might not attend or recognise conferences, congresses, or conventions organised by the {groups} till the willpower of a pending case earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom.
Previous to INEC’s intervention, the celebration had introduced a timetable for its inner elections, stating that polling unit and ward congresses would maintain on April 7, native authorities congresses on April 9, state congresses on April 11, and a nationwide conference on April 14, the place nationwide officers had been anticipated to emerge.
Nonetheless, the directive has triggered widespread suspension of actions throughout state chapters, with not less than 5 states already halting congresses and celebration programmes in compliance with regulatory and judicial orders.
In Anambra, the ADC introduced a direct suspension of all deliberate congresses. In an announcement issued in Awka by chairman Patrick Obianyo and secretary Lawrence Okeke, the celebration confused the necessity for due course of and respect for judicial authority, urging members to stay calm.
The Sokoto State chapter additionally suspended its statewide congresses on Wednesday in compliance with INEC directives and court docket orders. In an announcement by secretary Yusuf Alkali, the celebration stated it had notified INEC and safety businesses, each of which acknowledged compliance, including that “solely coalition-related actions will proceed.”
Equally, the Bayelsa State chapter on Wednesday suspended all ward, native authorities, and state congresses indefinitely, aligning with INEC’s directive to take care of the established order. State chairman Johnny Derek stated in an announcement that “no congresses would proceed till additional discover” to make sure compliance with the electoral physique’s mandate.
On Thursday, the Ondo State chapter additionally suspended its scheduled ward, native authorities, and state congresses, with chairman Wole Ademoyegun warning that any deviation from INEC’s steering would violate electoral legal guidelines, including that the suspension would stay till additional readability is supplied.
The Niger State chapter additionally joined in suspending congresses throughout its 25 native authorities areas, citing adherence to the rule of regulation, constitutional due course of, and judicial authority. State chairman Musa Hassan warned INEC to not recognise “any congress held by unauthorised committees,” reaffirming the celebration’s dedication to authorized and electoral compliance.
In the meantime, in Katsina State, a Excessive Courtroom issued an order on Tuesday restraining the conduct of ADC actions pending the listening to of a substantive swimsuit mounted for April 15, 2026. The court docket additionally barred sure officers from parading themselves as celebration stakeholders or conducting congresses, and prohibited each the nationwide management and INEC from recognising any actions organised by the defendants.
The mixed impact of INEC’s directive and the court docket rulings has successfully stalled the ADC’s inner election timetable, deepening uncertainty over the celebration’s management construction and upcoming nationwide conference.
Boluwatife Enome
Times Nigeria