By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) appears to have taken a new twist as the State Chairmen Forum of the party has rejected the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led coalition and distanced itself from Nafiu Bala’s faction.
The forum made their stance known at a press conference on Tuesday, April 7, in Abuja, where Don Norman Obinna, chairman of the ADC in Abia State, said Mark and Bala “hijacked” the party from the “bona fide” members, claiming it represents the legitimate National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
The group also backed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw recognition from the Mark and Bala factions following an interim ruling by the appeal court, adding that it is stepping in to manage the party’s affairs ahead of the next national convention.
It said: “The tenure of Ralph Nwosu, who handed the party to the David Mark group, had ended in August 2022, and afterwards, he (Nwosu) had faced a series of litigations due to his failure to step down.”
According to the group, the party’s former presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, remains a member of the ADC, describing his expulsion from the party as “an act of desperation taken too far.”
It said, “We disassociate the ADC from David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Bolaji Abdullahi, Prof. Osunbor and all members of the so-called coalition who attempted to hijack our party and state that all actions taken by them in the name of the ADC are not binding on the ADC.
“We disassociate the ADC from the claims of Nafiu Gombe and firmly and unequivocally state that he has never held the position of deputy chairman of the ADC.
“The ADC remains a party of and for all Nigerians and not just for former political office holders and the elites. The ADC is also not for sale.
“The people who have called themselves the coalition have no democratic credentials and are only interested in a power grab, as evidenced by the way and manner in which they attempted to hijack our party and throw out the original members.
“We affirm that our former presidential candidate, Mr Dumebi Kachikwu, is a committed and bonafide member of our party whose purported expulsion by the David Mark-led group was an act of desperation taken too far.”
The forum further disclosed that an interim committee has been appointed to oversee the party’s activities pending a national convention.
It said members of the committee include Ogga Kingsley (Acting Chairman), Odion Kennedy (Secretary), Muhammad Jidda (Deputy Chairman), Kabiru Hussaini (Assistant Secretary), Charles Omidji (National Organising Secretary), Johnny Derek (Deputy Organising Secretary), Stella Chukwuma (Treasurer), Obinna (Publicity Secretary), and Samuel Gyang (Financial Secretary).
The ADC has been embroiled in internal disputes since July 2025, when a coalition of opposition party members took over the party’s leadership, leading to the emergence of a new National Working Committee (NWC) led by Mark.
The dispute stemmed from disagreements over the tenure of former chairman, Ralph Nwosu, which ended in August 2022, with Bala, a former Deputy National Chairman, alleging that Mark was illegally appointed as the national chairman.
