The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has escalated into a full-blown political war, with three rival camps locked in a fierce “winner-takes-all” struggle for control of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. At the heart of the conflict are factions loyal to former Senate President David Mark, Nafiu Bala Gombe, and former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu (alongside his ally, Kingsley Temitope Ogga), each accusing the other of illegality, impunity, and hijacking party structures.
The crisis, which pits former allies against one another, has drawn in the courts and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On April 1, 2026, INEC withdrew recognition from both the Mark and Gombe-led factions, citing a subsisting Court of Appeal order to maintain the status quo, leaving the party without an officially recognized leadership.
The Mark-led faction claims legitimacy through a July 2025 National Executive Committee (NEC) resolution that installed an interim leadership. However, the Gombe camp insists the process was unconstitutional, arguing that as Deputy National Chairman, he automatically assumed the role of Acting National Chairman following a leadership vacuum. The Kachikwu-aligned faction, backed by 25 state chairmen, has rejected both camps and appointed an interim committee to manage party affairs.
The ADC is now effectively paralyzed, unable to access joint party funds or submit official candidate lists. The Supreme Court has scheduled an accelerated hearing for April 22, 2026, to resolve the dispute. With the clock ticking toward the 2027 elections, analysts warn that failure to resolve the crisis could see the party field no candidates, potentially triggering a mass exodus of its newly recruited heavyweights.
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