A serious and potentially destabilising political crisis has erupted within the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after two rival governorship candidates simultaneously emerged from disputed primary processes — throwing the party into a state of dangerous confusion ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The emergence of two parallel governorship candidates claiming legitimacy over the ADC ticket in Akwa Ibom mirrors a troubling pattern of internal party disputes that has been rocking the ADC at the national level — where presidential aspirants Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen have both rejected the outcome of the party’s presidential primary amid allegations of widespread rigging and manipulation.
Sources within the Akwa Ibom ADC indicate that both camps are standing firmly by their respective candidates, with each side claiming to have followed the legitimate primary procedures prescribed by the party’s constitution and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
The crisis has effectively split the party’s structure in the state into two hostile camps — raising serious questions about which candidate INEC will recognise as the valid ADC governorship flagbearer for Akwa Ibom in 2027 and potentially triggering a protracted legal battle that could consume the party’s attention and resources during the critical campaign season.
Political analysts describe the development as a catastrophic own goal for the ADC in Akwa Ibom — particularly damaging at a time when the party was positioning itself as a credible and united alternative to the dominant PDP, which has maintained an iron grip on governance in the South-South state for decades.
The crisis also raises broader questions about the ADC’s internal governance structures, delegate management processes, and the capacity of the party’s national leadership to conduct dispute-free primaries across Nigeria’s 36 states — a fundamental requirement for any party aspiring to national relevance in 2027.
Legal experts warn that a dual candidacy dispute of this nature could result in protracted litigation, INEC disqualification proceedings, and the ultimate weakening of the ADC’s electoral capacity in Akwa Ibom — handing the ruling PDP a significant advantage even before the first vote is cast.
The ADC National Working Committee is under intense pressure to intervene decisively and transparently — resolving the Akwa Ibom governorship crisis quickly, credibly, and in a manner that restores confidence in the party’s primary processes before the situation deteriorates further.
Both rival candidates and their respective camps are expected to formally present their cases to the party’s appeal committee and potentially to the courts in the days ahead.
CDA News Nigeria will continue to monitor and bring you full updates as this developing crisis unfolds.
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