By Jane Okafor, Abuja
The embattled National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Senate President David Mark, alongside former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and other party leaders, has declared that President Bola Tinubu will face a tough battle in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the party’s national convention themed “So That Nigeria May Work,” held Tuesday in Abuja, ADC leaders took aim at the Tinubu administration, accusing it of presiding over worsening insecurity and economic hardship across the country.
They argued that Nigerians are enduring unprecedented levels of suffering.
Key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, also criticised the current administration.
The ADC leaders described the nation’s security situation as deteriorating and alleged that poverty has significantly increased under Tinubu’s leadership.
However, a rival ADC faction led by Nafiu Bala dismissed the Abuja convention as illegitimate, insisting it would organise a separate gathering after the Supreme Court rules on the party’s leadership dispute.
The crisis deepened following INEC’s April 1 announcement delisting key ADC figures, including Mark and Aregbesola, from its register, citing a court order to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of ongoing litigation.
The party has been embroiled in a leadership tussle since 2025, when Mark’s camp constituted a new National Working Committee, a move challenged by other factions. The dispute traces back to disagreements over the tenure of former chairman Ralph Nwosu, with his deputy, Nafiu Gombe, insisting he should have succeeded him in an acting capacity.
The conflict has since splintered the party into three factions—one led by Mark, another by Gombe, and a third aligned with former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu and headed by Kingsley Ogga.
Despite the divisions, over 3,000 delegates at the Abuja convention endorsed Mark and Aregbesola as members of the party’s National Working Committee and ratified a revised constitution and manifesto.
In his address, Mark insisted the ADC remains resilient despite internal and external challenges.
“I say to those who orchestrated these obstacles: you have not weakened us; you have welded us together. Every attempt to suppress this party has only deepened the resolve of our members… a strong opposition is not optional; it is essential to democracy’s survival,” he said.
He added that the party’s mission goes beyond seeking power, stressing its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
“In the ADC, we shall return politics to its true purpose: to improve the lives of the people… The resources of Nigeria will be deployed in the service of the majority,” Mark stated.
Aregbesola, in a more direct attack, said President Tinubu should consider stepping down over the country’s worsening conditions.
“Ordinarily, having made such a promise and fared woefully, an honest president should simply step down… What we are witnessing is the most desperate attempt… to retain power at all costs,” he said.
He warned that the 2027 election would not be a foregone conclusion.
“There will be no coronation in 2027. There will be no Kabiyesi in the Presidential Villa,” he declared.
Atiku Abubakar also accused the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission of undermining democracy, vowing accountability.
“Let the chairman know we are not going to let him get away with his illegalities… We must rise to ensure genuine change,” he said.
Peter Obi called for national unity, warning that Nigeria’s divisions are deepening under the current administration.
“The country is so divided; we need unity… Your country is collapsing,” he said.
Amaechi, on his part, criticised the government’s handling of democratic institutions and urged the ADC to unite behind a credible candidate.
Meanwhile, the leadership crisis remains before the courts. The Supreme Court has fixed April 22 to hear an appeal filed by Mark challenging earlier rulings, while a Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned related proceedings indefinitely pending the apex court’s decision.
Another court has also ordered all parties in the dispute to maintain the status quo, warning against actions that could undermine ongoing proceedings.
Despite the mounting legal battles and internal divisions, ADC leaders insist the party is positioning itself as a formidable opposition force ahead of the 2027 elections.
