THE Senator David Mark faction of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has dismissed reports that it was in talks with Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, now saying it was focusing on a court battle it believed would shape the road to 2027.
The Supreme Court will hear the appeal of the Mark-led National Executive Committee, NEC, tomorrow, against the ruling of a lower court which restrained Mark from parading himself as national chairman of ADC.
There are speculations that the apex court might uphold the decision of the Appeal Court, a move that would hurt the ambitions of key ADC leaders, hence the need to look for another good platform such as PRP.
However, the party said this was not about politics as usual, stressing that what was at stake was beyond alliances and cuts to the heart of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The clarification came on a day ADC youths vowed to stage protests at offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Lagos, Ogun and Jigawa states under the #AmupitanMustGo campaign.
Focus on courtroom
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, addressed the rumours directly: “Our attention has been drawn to a report currently in circulation alleging that the African Democratic Congress is engaged in discussions with another political party, specifically the Peoples Redemption Party, in anticipation of an impending court judgment. We wish to state categorically that this claim is false.”
“The coalition leadership is not engaged in any such discussions with any political party at this time. We remain fully committed to ensuring that the unlawful actions taken against our leadership by INEC and other agents of the ruling party are overturned,” Abdullahi said.
“We firmly believe that this is the only viable path to safeguarding the rule of law and preserving Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.’’
“While we remain open to broadening the coalition to accommodate all opposition elements committed to rescuing our country, we are equally mindful of the responsibility this moment demands. We will not shirk that responsibility,” the party said.
ADC also dismissed claims that it was considering abandoning its platform, describing such suggestions as premature and speculative.
“Accordingly, any suggestion that we are contemplating abandoning the ADC is premature, speculative, and should be disregarded,” it added.
Supreme Court case
Senator Mark’s appeal arose from the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his appeal against a September 4, 2025, ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the trial court, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, Nafiu Bala Gombe, had instituted a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, seeking to restrain the Mark-led leadership from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
Gombe listed the ADC, Mark, the National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, the INEC, and the party’s founder, Ralph Nwosu, as defendants.
Gombe contended that he didn’t resign his position as Deputy National Chairman and argued that he ought to have assumed leadership in line with the party’s constitution following Nwosu’s exit.
He subsequently declared himself National Chairman and approached the court for redress.
