ADC Crisis Deepens: Cross River Branch brands interim national committee as “illegal”, INEC petitions

The internal stability of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing a severe test as the Cross River State chapter formally rejected the newly formed interim national interim committee.

!Describing the move as a direct attack on the party’s 2018 constitution, the state chapter warned that the current leadership vacuum could systematically eliminate the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

At a press conference held Tuesday at the Ernest Bassey Press Center in Calabar, Dr. MacFarlane Ejah—Deputy State Chair (Central) and Director of Policy and Strategy—expressed grave concern over the direction of the party’s national leadership. Ejah argued that the party is currently witnessing “a growing erosion of internal democracy” that threatens the party’s credibility.

This controversy occurred at the July 29, 2025 meeting at the Chelsea Hotel in Abuja. During the meeting, a group allegedly disbanded the democratically elected National Executive Committee (NEC) and formed a temporary team. The new committee features prominent political figures, including David Mark as interim national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as interim national secretary.

However, the Cross River branch stated that this transition has no legal basis. Dr. Ejah emphasized that the 2018 ADC constitution does not recognize the concept of “acting” or “interim” leadership at any level, and emphasized that all officials must emerge through an official congress as mandated by the 2026 Election Law.

“There are no provisions regarding emergency authority that allow individuals to appoint themselves to leadership positions. This process is invalid and invalid,” said Ejah.

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The state chapter’s resistance was rooted in fear of future litigation. With the national congress scheduled for April 7 to 14, 2026, Ejah warned that any leadership structure deemed illegitimate by the courts would surely sink the ambitions of any candidate running for the party in 2027.

“If an illegal leader holds a congress, every candidate who emerges from the process risks being disqualified. We have seen political parties lose entire election victories due to internal process errors,” he said.

In a bid to force the resolution, the Cross River ADC has formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The petition has two main aims: to prevent David Mark’s committee from emerging as party leaders and to stop the congress next April until constitutional leadership is restored.

The branch has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the election referee to intervene, but failing that, it intends to take the matter to court to protect the party’s “democratic status quo.”

“We ADC members are committed and do not want our party to be dragged into illegality. We demand a return to the status quo where leadership emerges through a democratic process,” stressed Ejah.

As the April congressional deadline approaches, the ADC finds itself at a crossroads where adherence to the internal rule of law may be the only barrier between political relevance and total legal eclipse in the 2027 elections.