The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused authorities in the Federal Capital Territory of attempting to frustrate its planned national convention in Abuja, alleging that pressure was mounted on the management of its chosen venue to withdraw from hosting the event.
In a post by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi late Monday night, the party claimed that the owner of the Rainbow Event Centre informed organisers that he was under pressure from officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, warning that his operating licence could be revoked if he proceeded with the booking.
The ADC said the development came after it had already signed contractual agreements and completed payments for the venue, insisting that the convention would go ahead as scheduled despite what it described as “attempts to obstruct its democratic process.”
The allegation adds a new dimension to an already volatile political and legal crisis surrounding the opposition party, which has been embroiled in leadership disputes, court battles, and regulatory uncertainty in recent weeks.
The current tension within the ADC is rooted in a prolonged leadership struggle that escalated following the emergence of a new national executive structure in 2025, when a coalition-backed arrangement installed a caretaker leadership led by former Senate President David Mark as national chairman, alongside Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
That restructuring, which followed internal realignments within the party and coalition discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections, was initially communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which later published the names of the new leadership on its official portal.
However, the situation changed when rival factions emerged, including a bloc led by Nafiu Bala, a former national vice chairman, who challenged the legitimacy of the new leadership in court, arguing that internal procedures were not properly followed.
Court Battles and the “Status Quo Ante Bellum” Order
The dispute escalated into litigation at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where competing claims to leadership prompted judicial intervention.
In a key ruling delivered by the Court of Appeal in March, the court ordered parties in the dispute — including INEC — to maintain the “status quo ante bellum,” a legal directive requiring all sides to preserve the state of affairs before the litigation commenced, pending final determination of the substantive suit.
That order has since become the central point of interpretation in the crisis, with different parties offering conflicting readings of what constitutes the “status quo.”
While one interpretation suggests the court intended to preserve the previously recognised structure before the contested leadership changes, another argues that INEC’s earlier recognition of the Mark-led executive should remain in force until the substantive case is resolved.
The Independent National Electoral Commission later acted on the appellate court’s order, interpreting it as a directive to halt recognition of competing claims within the party.
Following internal legal review, INEC reportedly removed the names of members of the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) from its official portal, effectively freezing formal recognition of the party’s leadership structure pending court resolution.
The commission also declined to recognise the faction led by Nafiu Bala, stating that doing so could prejudice ongoing proceedings.
The decision immediately triggered backlash from sections of the party, which accused the electoral body of misinterpreting the court ruling and destabilising an already fragile internal structure.
Legal analysts have since remained divided, with some arguing that INEC overreached by effectively “suspending” party leadership recognition, while others maintain that the commission acted cautiously to avoid contempt of court.
The leadership dispute has also widened political fractures within the ADC, with reports of parallel alignments and competing authority structures emerging across different state chapters.
In addition to the Mark-led executive and the Nafiu Bala challenge, other political actors linked to earlier ADC structures have continued to question the legitimacy of the post-coalition arrangement, further complicating attempts to stabilise the party ahead of its national convention.
These internal divisions have also fed into wider debates within opposition politics about coalition management, party ownership, and control of electoral structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The crisis is further complicated by ongoing and scheduled court proceedings involving the party’s leadership dispute.
Despite the legal and political uncertainty, the ADC insists its national convention will proceed as scheduled in Abuja.
Abdullahi maintained that the party would not be deterred by what it described as attempts to frustrate its democratic processes, adding that preparations had already been completed and contractual obligations fulfilled.
The party framed the situation as part of a broader struggle over political space and democratic participation in Nigeria, insisting that it would resist any attempt to undermine its internal processes.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the FCDA or the office of the FCT Minister regarding the allegations.