ADC Ignores INEC Warning,The Democratic Congress has said it will proceed with its planned congresses and national convention, pushing back against warnings from Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan over the party’s ongoing leadership crisis.
In a fresh escalation of the standoff between the opposition party and the electoral commission, the ADC on Friday released a detailed timetable for its internal elections, insisting that all activities would go ahead as scheduled despite what it described as INEC’s “illegal actions.”
The party’s position was contained in a statement jointly signed by its National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, and National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.
“This is to notify all party members that despite INEC’s illegal actions, the ADC will continue with its congresses as scheduled, having duly notified INEC by our letters dated 27th February 2026 and 28th March 2026,” the statement read.
According to the timetable released by the party, the screening of aspirants is fixed for April 7, while appeals arising from the screening process will be heard on April 8.
The party said polling unit, ward, and local government congresses are scheduled for April 9, followed by appeals on April 10.
State congresses are expected to hold on April 11, with appeals slated for April 12, while the much-anticipated national convention has been fixed for April 14.
The announcement comes amid a worsening leadership dispute within the party, after INEC withdrew recognition of the faction linked to Senator David Mark and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola earlier this week.
INEC had defended its position as a legal response to an existing court process and warned the party against taking steps that could undermine ongoing proceedings.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Amupitan said the matter was already before the court and that a motion seeking to halt the congresses and convention had yet to be determined.
“So, if they are already asking that don’t do any congress, not to do any convention, it is a relief that is being claimed. And especially they filed a motion for that purpose, that motion has not been determined,” he said.
The INEC chairman also cautioned that ignoring court orders could carry significant consequences, citing precedents from previous election disputes in Zamfara State and Plateau State.
“Let me tell you what happened in Zamfara. It happened in the past. We don’t want to conduct an election without this early warning, and at the end of the day, after you have won, the court again will come and declare the election invalid. And the implication is that the person with the second-highest number of votes will be declared the winner,” Amupitan said.
Despite the warning, the ADC maintained that it had complied with all legal requirements by formally notifying the commission of its planned activities.
Party officials argue that INEC’s attendance is not a statutory condition for the validity of its internal processes, a position the David Mark-led faction has repeatedly defended in recent days.
The latest development is expected to deepen the political and legal uncertainty surrounding the party ahead of preparations for the 2027 general election.
Political observers say the outcome of the pending court proceedings may ultimately determine whether the convention and congresses can stand, particularly if candidates emerging from the process later contest elections under the party’s platform.
For now, the ADC appears determined to press ahead, setting the stage for what may become one of the most closely watched internal party disputes in the country’s opposition politics.
