In a bold display of party unity and organisational clarity, all 36 state chairmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chairman, have pledged unwavering loyalty to the party’s interim leadership led by former Senate President David Mark.
The resolution was made during a strategic meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday, as the party seeks to consolidate its ongoing coalition-building and internal reorganisation efforts. The move is seen as a response to growing speculation about possible fractures within the party ranks following the formation of a broad opposition alliance.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, party spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi dismissed any fears of internal takeover or marginalisation, saying the gathering was meant to reassure state leaders of their continued relevance in the party’s affairs.
“We invited all the state chairmen to reassure them that we have no intention to shove them aside. The purpose is to dispel all the falsehood and rumours making the rounds that we came to hijack the party from them,” Abdullahi said.
He described the chairmen as “critical partners” in the ADC’s political journey and noted that the meeting strengthened their confidence in the party’s direction.
Chairman of the ADC Forum of State Chairmen and Kogi State party chairman, Kingsley Ogga, also confirmed unanimous support for the interim leadership. He stated that while individuals may have differing opinions, no state chairman had voiced opposition to the new leadership or coalition agenda.
“Someone might feel differently, but nobody has come out to say so or go against what we are doing,” Ogga said.
Abdullahi also responded to recent criticism from the party’s former presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, who had questioned the legitimacy of the coalition and the new leadership. He maintained that the party’s processes were legally sound and inclusive.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the development of a new digital platform to handle political party registrations, aiming to replace the existing manual method.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said seven new applications were received in the last week, raising the total number of registration requests to 129.
Speaking after the commission’s weekly meeting, Olumekun explained that the new platform would function as a module within INEC’s Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System (PFRAS). Final testing of the portal is expected to be completed within a week, after which guidelines for online registration will be issued.
“This will make the process faster and more seamless,” he said. “The list of the new associations has been uploaded to our website and other platforms for public information.”
The ADC’s reaffirmation of unity comes as it positions itself at the centre of a newly formed opposition coalition featuring several high-profile politicians. However, critics remain sceptical of the coalition’s ability to deliver real change, accusing its leaders of being recycled figures from past administrations.
Still, party leaders remain optimistic. “They are leaving Abuja today more assured than ever that they are critical stakeholders in the future of the ADC,” Abdullahi said.
