ADC State Chairmen reject coalition, declare move undemocratic
...Tag Mark-led alliance a political junta bent on subverting ADC’s structure
State chairmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from over 20 states have rejected the emergence of a new political coalition allegedly fronted by former Senate President, Senator David Mark, describing the move as a “desperate and unlawful hijack” of the party’s structure by a group of unelected individuals.
The chairmen, speaking after an emergency meeting, condemned the unveiling of a so-called coalition government, which they say was carried out without consultation with the party’s founding leadership or any of its constitutionally recognised organs.
They accused Senator Mark of leading what they termed a “political junta,” — a clique of individuals seeking to manipulate the party machinery for personal political gain ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the statement released following the meeting, “This is not only undemocratic and unconstitutional, it is an outright insult to the very spirit of internal party democracy.”
The chairmen claim that the coalition is being fuelled by political actors with no real stake in the ADC’s development, alleging that some of the key figures behind the arrangement are being bankrolled by external forces intent on destabilising the party and installing a pliant leadership.
They maintained that there was no National Executive Committee (NEC) resolution, no national convention, and no grassroots engagement leading up to the announcement. The absence of due process, they say, makes the entire development illegitimate and deceptive.
“This coalition is a smokescreen. It is nothing but a coup against the ADC by political opportunists who think they can forcefully hijack what they didn’t build. We will not accept it,” the chairmen declared.
The statement urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations, and stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic process to take urgent notice of the situation, warning that such attempts threaten the survival of genuine multi-party democracy.
The chairmen reaffirmed their loyalty to the current National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC and called for a comprehensive probe into the individuals and financiers behind the coalition move. They warned that any efforts to legitimise the development would be resisted through all lawful means available to them.