A significant leadership dispute continues to embroil the African Democratic Congress (ADC), placing it at odds with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, firmly stated the commission's refusal to recognize factions led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala, citing a Court of Appeal judgment that mandates adherence to judicial directives. This stance has drawn sharp criticism from the ADC, which insists on proceeding with its internal congresses and conventions, accusing INEC of misinterpreting court orders and overstepping its authority.

Professor Amupitan, speaking on Arise TV, clarified INEC's position, explaining that the commission is a defendant in the ongoing legal case and is bound by a "clear directive" from the Court of Appeal. This directive, he stressed, requires all involved parties, including David Mark, to maintain the "status quo ante bellum" and refrain from any actions that could pre-empt the decision of the trial court or render legal proceedings nugatory. Amupitan emphasized that INEC's decision was not arbitrary but a direct consequence of this court order, aimed at preventing a "fait accompli" situation on the judiciary.

The INEC Chairman issued a stern warning regarding the severe legal consequences of disregarding court orders, drawing parallels to past electoral crises in Zamfara and Plateau states. In those instances, non-compliance with court directives led to the invalidation of election results, with candidates who initially secured fewer votes ultimately being declared winners. Amupitan also staunchly rejected accusations that INEC is complicit in efforts to establish a one-party state, asserting that Nigeria's constitutional framework unequivocally supports a multi-party system, as evidenced by the participation of numerous parties in recent elections, including the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls.

Further elucidating INEC's interpretation of "status quo ante bellum," Amupitan explained that the controversy within the ADC originated on July 29, 2025, following a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that ratified the appointment of a deputy national president. Legal proceedings ensued, with a plaintiff filing motions on September 2, 2025, and further motions on December 15, 2025, seeking injunctions against specific individuals and actions. Amupitan highlighted that the Court of Appeal's directive prohibits any step that would render these filed proceedings nugatory, including INEC monitoring any primaries or congresses due to existing injunctions. He also revealed receiving conflicting letters on March 16, 2026, from solicitors representing different factions, necessitating a comprehensive review by INEC's legal department. Separately, Amupitan outlined INEC's plans for a two-phase voter register revalidation exercise, intended to update records for approximately 93 million registered voters.

In response, Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, strongly refuted Amupitan's assertions, accusing him of a "wilful distortion" of the Court of Appeal's directive and overstepping INEC's supervisory role. Abdullahi argued that the preservation order's purpose is to prevent irreversible alteration of litigation subject matter, not to paralyze a political party's internal functioning. He maintained that internal party processes, conducted in line with the party's constitution and the Electoral Act, do not extinguish or prejudice pending judicial proceedings, emphasizing that democratic continuity within a party is presumed unless explicitly restrained by a competent court, an order which he states has not been cited.

The ADC spokesman further criticized INEC's attempt to administratively define the "status quo" by tracing the controversy back to July 2025, asserting that such determination falls exclusively within the judiciary's jurisdiction, not the commission's. Abdullahi also clarified that INEC's statutory duty to monitor party processes is triggered upon proper notification and does not confer upon it a veto power over the validity of those processes. He dismissed comparisons to cases like Zamfara, stating that those involved clear failures to comply with mandatory legal requirements for primaries, whereas the ADC remains committed to lawful conduct. The ADC therefore reaffirmed its decision to proceed with its activities, urging INEC to strictly adhere to its constitutional and statutory mandate.

The protracted dispute has drawn reactions from other major political entities. The All Progressives Congress (APC), through its National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru, described the ADC as a group of "unserious individuals" prone to internal conflicts, dismissing their claims of President Bola Tinubu attempting to weaken opposition. Basiru elaborated on the ADC's procedural missteps at the Court of Appeal, including a premature appeal and failure to obtain necessary leave, which led to the dismissal of their appeal and the directive to maintain the status quo. He asserted that INEC is simply enforcing these court orders and questioned ADC's electoral relevance given its "abysmal" performance. Basiru also condemned the ADC's call for the removal of the INEC Chairman and Commissioners, highlighting a fundamental misunderstanding of established institutional processes and a troubling disregard for the rule of law.

Adding to the criticism, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, chided the David Mark faction of the ADC, stating that emotional reasoning and blackmail cannot resolve their "purely legal conundrum." Keyamo emphasized that the core issue is the pending court challenge regarding the party's takeover, which could ultimately render all factional actions nugatory, potentially leaving the ADC without candidates for elections. He advised the ADC to either seek an accelerated court hearing, politically settle the leadership question, or find a new, risk-free platform, rather than blaming imaginary opponents or INEC for a situation they brought upon themselves.

Further compounding the ADC's woes, its 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, issued a stark warning to politicians eyeing the 2027 general elections, urging them to avoid the party. Kachikwu declared the ADC a "nonstarter" due to its deep and protracted legal and structural crises, which he believes could take years to resolve. He attributed the ongoing instability to the infiltration of the party by "political heavyweights" and attempts to commercialize party structures, including steep increases in nomination form costs. While acknowledging concerns about APC dominance, Kachikwu pointed out the availability of other viable political platforms like the PDP, Labour Party, NNPP, SDP, and APGA.

Amidst this internal turmoil, Chief Ikechi Emenike, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, confirmed his defection to the African Democratic Congress. Emenike announced his decision to join an "emerging political coalition" aimed at "saving Nigeria from miserable leadership." He dismissed accusations that his presence would cause crisis as "trash and pure blackmail," stating that he is not seeking any position within the ADC but rather aligning with like-minded leaders to pull Nigeria back from the precipice. Emenike contended that he deserves commendation for leaving the ruling APC, criticizing its performance and "Igbo phobic tendencies," and highlighted his significant contributions to Abia State, including single-handedly attracting a Federal Polytechnic and a Federal College of Education.