National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, has assured party members that the party will be on the ballot for all elections in 2027, despite ongoing legal disputes challenging its internal processes and leadership structure.
Speaking on Wednesday night after receiving a briefing from the party’s legal team on a recent Federal High Court judgment in Abuja, Mark dismissed fears surrounding the litigations and expressed confidence that the party would prevail in court.
He told members that the party was fully prepared for the legal battles ahead and would not be distracted by the ongoing disputes.
“You do not have anything to be afraid of regarding all the litigations before the party. I want to assure you that we shall triumph in all the cases, and we shall be on the ballot for every election,” he said.
Mark also stressed that the party would strictly follow legal procedures in addressing the challenges.
“We are more than prepared and ready for these cases, and we shall do everything within the ambits of the law to surmount every situation.
”In this legal battle, though I am not a lawyer, I will lead from the front, and we shall surely triumph,” he added.
Meanwhile, founding National Chairman of the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, delivered a political message, declaring that the 2027 general elections would not hold without the African Democratic Congress being on the ballot.
Nwosu, speaking on Wednesday in Abuja at the party’s national secretariat during the ADC Youths Champion and Prospective Legislative Summit organised by the office of the National Youth Leader, said the party had already positioned itself to take over governance from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He also claimed that the party, through its coalition structure, had gained significant political strength and was attracting interest from lawmakers across political divides.
He said, “With the number we have today in ADC, what we have achieved by the coalition is phenomenal and no matter how anybody thinks they can knock this down, they cannot.
“To knock this down will be almost as knocking our democracy down and God will not allow that. We have put enough strategies in place to ensure that it doesn’t happen.”
Nwosu also escalated his political assertions, saying internal resistance from ruling party figures was expected as power dynamics shift.
“The culture in place is dirty. It’s very difficult to change the culture but we will continue working very hard to do so once we are determined.
”You don’t need a million people to do it, you just need a few determined minds,” he stated.
He added that political pressure was already building within the ruling establishment.
“The time is over for Tinubu politically, and he must go. The time is over for Akpabio, and they must go,” he said.
In a related development, the ADC confirmed that it has directed its legal team to review a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, which reportedly nullified aspects of its congresses and national convention.
In a statement issued by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said it would study the ruling carefully before taking further steps.
“Attention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been drawn to media reports that the Federal High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Joyce O. Abdulmalik, has sacked the elected, but yet to be inaugurated, State Chairmen of our party,” the statement read.
The party maintained that its internal processes remain valid, noting that its congresses had not altered the tenure of existing executives until formal inauguration of newly elected officials.
It added that its legal team had been instructed to advise the party appropriately on the implications of the judgment.
In Osun State, the ADC leadership also sought to calm tensions, stating that the court ruling did not invalidate its recently conducted congresses.
According to a statement by the state Publicity Secretary-elect, Abosede Oluwaseun, the judgment only restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the congresses, rather than nullifying them.
“We urge everyone to remain calm and focused. The recent court ruling did not nullify ADC congresses nationwide,” the statement said.
It further explained that the party had already planned a transition process ahead of the expiration of current executive tenures in May 2026, insisting that the ADC remained a legally recognised political party under its current leadership.
Former ADC presidential candidate in 2023, Dumebi Kachikwu, also reacted strongly to the court ruling, insisting that the party was not available for political takeover.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Kachikwu described the situation as an attempted hijack of the party structure by external interests.
“I had long warned that the African Democratic Congress is not for sale and that these political buccaneers would be shown the way out through the same back door they came in from,” he said.
He argued that the court judgment had exposed failed attempts to control the party through illegitimate means.
“With this judgment, it has become clear that these desperados who attempted to hijack our party have failed woefully,” he added.
Kachikwu urged party members to remain alert, insisting that the ADC would still participate in the 2027 elections.
“To our party faithful, I urge you to remain vigilant. The battle is not over till it is over. The ADC will be in next year’s ballot,” he said.
