The African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders and supporters staged a peaceful protest in Abuja and at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Maitama district of Abuja on Wednesday.
The protesters, who included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, were led by a factional National Chairman of the party, David Mark.
Others present at the protest included the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola; former Sokoto State Governor and serving senator, Aminu Tambuwal; former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and former senator, Dino Melaye.
They protested INEC’s suspension of the party’s recognition over a leadership dispute between the Mark-led leadership of the party and Nafiu Bala, a former national vice chairman of the party, who claimed he never resigned.
The protesters carried placards and banners with inscriptions that read: “Tinubu, let our Democracy breathe”, “Falle daya ce, one term president” and “I stand with ADC, I stand with Democracy” among others. The opposition party had accused the electoral body of siding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to block its chances of fielding candidates in 2027.
It will be recalled that INEC had suspended the recognition of the ADC last week, in compliance with the Court of Appeal ruling that directed the parties to the suit at the Federal High Court, including INEC, to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the leadership crisis in the opposition party.
Mr Bala had challenged Mr Mark’s emergence as the party’s national chairman following the resignation of Ralph Nwosu from the position.
He insisted that he (Bala) should assume leadership of the party after Mr Nwosu’s resignation, in line with the party’s constitution. The case is still pending at the European Parliament.
Meanwhile, Mr Mark’s camp filed an interlocutory appeal ahead of the Federal High Court’s judgment, but was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
In dismissing the appeal, the appellate court also asked all parties to maintain the status quo until the lower court ruled on the substantive suit.
In compliance with the order, INEC stopped dealing with any of the factions until the case at the Federal High Court is determined.
The court also ordered that parties should maintain status quo ante bellum and should not do anything that will foist a fait accompli on the trial court or render the proceedings nugatory,” INEC Chairperson, Joash Amupitan, a professor, explained in an interview with Arise TV.
But the Mark-led faction disagreed with the electoral commission, accusing it of wilfully misinterpreting the judgment. It demanded the resignation of Mr Amupitan and other national commissioners of the electoral body.
Meanwhile, another faction laying claim to the leadership of the ADC emerged on Tuesday.
At a press conference in Abuja, some state chairmen of the party and its other senior members loyal to its presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Dumebi Kachikwu, backed INEC’s decision to stop dealing with Mark and Bala’s factions.
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