JUST IN: Atiku, Kwankwaso, Obi Lead Protest To INEC office

 

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Governor Peter Obi on Wednesday led a large group of African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders and supporters to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

The protest also drew prominent figures including Rauf Aregbesola, Aminu Tambuwal, Dino Melaye, and David Mark, who marched to press their grievances against the electoral body. 

The ADC accused INEC of bias in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming the commission was attempting to block the party from fielding candidates in the 2027 elections.

INEC, however, dismissed the allegations, insisting that it was operating strictly within the law.

The crisis in the ADC intensified when INEC removed the names of David Mark, the party’s National Chairman, and Rauf Aregbesola, National Secretary, from its official portal. 

The action followed a Court of Appeal ruling upholding a challenge to their leadership.

The leadership feud stems from a long-standing battle between David Mark and Nafiu Bala, the party’s factional chairman. Bala, who previously served as Deputy National Vice Chairman, contested Mark’s ratification as National Chairman in July, arguing that he should have assumed leadership following the resignation of the previous executive committee.

Bala approached the courts to obtain an injunction restraining Mark and his National Working Committee from presenting themselves as party leaders. 

He also sought an order compelling INEC to recognise him as acting chairman. 

A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, granted Bala’s application in September 2025, prompting Mark to appeal the decision. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in March 2026 and issued preservatory orders.

In a separate motion filed in September 2025, Bala requested that the ADC be barred from holding conventions, congresses, or meetings, while urging INEC to refrain from recognising or monitoring any party activities until the suit’s resolution.

Last week, INEC confirmed that it had received multiple letters from legal representatives of both factions, each asserting claims to the party’s leadership. 

The commission stated it would adhere strictly to the Court of Appeal’s orders in handling the ongoing dispute within the ADC.