The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has struck out the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official records as National Chairman and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), escalating the party’s protracted leadership crisis.
In a decisive move announced on Wednesday, the electoral body also declined to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to assume the chairmanship through judicial pronouncement.
INEC said it would suspend recognition of all factions within the party and halt monitoring of any conventions or congresses organised by groups aligned with the contending leaders, pending the final determination of a substantive suit before the Federal High Court.
The commission noted that the decision was informed by conflicting legal claims arising from the party’s internal dispute, as well as the implications of a recent Court of Appeal judgment in Suit No. CA/ABJ/145/2026, which has further complicated the leadership tussle.
In a statement, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to neutrality, urging political actors to refrain from actions capable of undermining preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC disclosed that it had received a letter dated March 16, 2026, from Suleiman Usman (SAN) & Co., cautioning against the recognition of Gombe as acting national chairman while legal proceedings remain ongoing.
It also confirmed receipt of a separate “Demand for Enforcement” from Summit Law Chambers, counsel to Gombe, calling for the removal of Mark and Aregbesola from its records and urging the commission to cease all engagement with them or any activities conducted under their authority.
The electoral body said the conflicting legal demands from the rival factions had necessitated its decision to suspend official dealings with all parties involved until the courts provide definitive clarity on the leadership of the ADC.
