The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has publicly released an affidavit from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), dated September 12, 2025, confirming that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by David Mark, was duly recognised as the legitimate leadership of the party.
According to the affidavit, which the party made public on Tuesday, the leadership transition within the ADC had been formally concluded prior to the date in question.
Clauses 14 through 19 of the affidavit reportedly affirmed that the transition was finalised and acknowledged by INEC as an internal party matter, placing leadership issues squarely within the party’s autonomous control and beyond the scope of judicial intervention.
The ADC argued that the affidavit reinforced the principle that political parties in Nigeria retain full authority over their internal affairs without undue external influence.
The party expressed deep concern over what it described as attempts to manipulate democratic institutions, alleging that the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the embattled INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, were using the electoral body to push the nation toward a one-party system.
The party warned that such actions, if left unchecked, could threaten the independence and neutrality of INEC, which it described as a cornerstone of the country’s electoral credibility.
“The impartiality of INEC is critical to sustaining democratic governance.
”Any perceived bias in handling internal disputes of political parties undermines public trust and the integrity of elections,” the ADC stated.
The party stressed that democracy could only thrive when institutions operate without favoritism, adding that any encroachment on the autonomy of political parties could weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
ADC urged INEC to uphold its independence and maintain neutrality in all party matters to safeguard the foundation of free and fair elections in Nigeria.
