A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by its 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, has announced plans to convene a national convention and establish an interim leadership to steer the affairs of the party amid an ongoing internal leadership dispute.
The announcement was made in Abuja on Tuesday by the faction’s spokesperson, Norman Obinna, following what he described as an emergency meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which included state chairmen and other key stakeholders.
Obinna said the meeting was convened to address what the group described as a prolonged leadership crisis within the party. He noted that a prior Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process had produced an agreement that the party would hold a national convention to elect new leadership, a commitment he claimed has not been fulfilled nearly two years later.
According to him, the faction is dissatisfied with the delay, insisting that the absence of a national convention has worsened the party’s internal challenges.
The group also accused the party’s former leadership under Ralph Nwosu of attempting to unlawfully transfer control of the party to individuals who are not members, as well as attempting to remove existing state chairmen. The faction described these actions as an effort to sideline established party structures in favour of what it called “elite interests.”
The faction further revealed that it has initiated legal action, filing two court cases to challenge the legitimacy of those leadership decisions. It maintained that the NEC remains the highest authority within the party, citing the absence of a National Working Committee (NWC) since August 2022.
During the meeting, the group also resolved to distance itself from a rival political coalition involving prominent figures such as David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, as well as Bolaji Abdullahi. It declared that any actions taken by the coalition in the name of the ADC would not be recognised or binding on the party.
The faction also dismissed claims by Nafiu Bala Gombe to any leadership position within the party, insisting that he has never held the office of deputy national chairman as alleged.
Reaffirming its position, the group described the ADC as a platform open to all Nigerians and accused rival actors of attempting to take over the party. It also reiterated Kachikwu’s membership, describing him as a committed and legitimate member of the party.
As part of its resolutions, the faction announced the appointment of an interim leadership to oversee the party’s daily operations until a new National Working Committee is elected at the proposed convention. It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and support the interim leadership to prevent further instability within the party.
The development comes amid ongoing internal disputes within the ADC, which was adopted as a coalition platform in July 2025 and is positioning itself as a major opposition force ahead of the 2027 general elections, with notable political figures such as Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rabiu Kwankwaso linked to its broader coalition ambitions.
