The lingering leadership tussle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is set to resume on Monday, as warring factions intensify moves to unseat the party’s current leaders, Chief Ralph Mark and former Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola.
The crisis, which has divided the ADC into parallel camps, stems from allegations of high-handedness, mismanagement of party funds, and the alleged imposition of candidates in the build-up to the 2027 elections. Party sources disclosed that a coalition of stakeholders has renewed its push to remove Mark and Aregbesola from their positions, accusing them of derailing the party’s founding vision of internal democracy.
At the centre of the battle is the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, scheduled for Monday, where rival factions are expected to table a motion of no confidence against the leadership. Already, supporters of the embattled leaders have vowed to resist any attempt to force them out, raising fears of a dramatic showdown.
Speaking to reporters in Abuja, a member of the pro-reform bloc, Hon. Ibrahim Usman, said the party must “liberate itself from hijackers who are more interested in personal gain than the ADC’s future.” He insisted that fresh leadership was necessary to reposition the party ahead of the next general elections.
But loyalists of Mark and Aregbesola dismissed the allegations as baseless. “This is nothing but a power grab orchestrated by those who lost relevance,” a senior party official stated, warning that the leadership would not be removed through “illegal processes or media propaganda.”
Analysts believe the outcome of Monday’s session could determine whether the ADC emerges as a united force in 2027 or descends further into internal wrangling. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reportedly been monitoring the situation closely, given the potential impact on party primaries and candidate nominations.
For now, the ADC faces a decisive week that may either resolve its leadership crisis or plunge it into deeper divisions.
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