The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Tuesday expelled the party’s former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, and a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide. The decision was announced at the national convention of the party. Others expelled by the party are; Kenneth Ehiator, (Abia State chairman of the party who identified with Dumebi Kachikwu, former presidential candidate, who is also claiming to be the leader of the party), Stella Chukwu and Elias Adiukwu.

Nafiu Bala had insisted that he is the national chairman of the party, while Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives has been identifying with Bala and was part of those who staged a protest to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asking that Bala should be recognised as chairman of the ADC. Meanwhile, the national convention held amidst claims of attempts to stop the exercise. The party at the convention ratified the David Mark-led National Working Committee.

The members include:National Secretary; Rauf Aregbesola, Deputy National Chairman, North East; Babachir Lawal and the National Publicity Secretary; Mal. Bolaji Abdullahi among others. I would have gone for Nobel Prize if I wanted fame – Prof Haruna FCTA reaffirms commitment to residents’ well-being The party informed our reporter that now that they have concluded that, its next move is to notify the INEC about the convention after which it will commence preparations for its primaries.

The chairman, media sub committee of the convention, Kola Ologbondiyan. said by holding the convention, the party has fulfilled its part towards participating in the 2027 general elections. He said, “What we would do now is to submit the report, having notified INEC earlier”. He said it doesn’t matter whether INEC was there to monitor the convention or not since it had been duly notified.

“The court said we should write our report. The law said you should write your report and send to INEC. It is immaterial whether INEC comes to monitor it or not.

All the law said is to serve INEC a notice. Serve them the 21- day notice,”he said. Sources within the party said after sailing through the national convention, the party had crossed its major hurdle and will now commence work on getting a presidential candidate.

“Since we now have a national chairman and other officials, it will guide us in deciding who picks the presidential ticket, so we can start campaign”, the source disclosed. Three former presidential candidates in the 2023 elections; Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who contested the presidency on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have all left their former parties and are now in the ADC. Former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has also indicated interest in running for the presidential ticket of the party.

The 2026 Electoral Act stipulates that primary elections should be through either direct primaries or consensus. “It is expected that after electing a substantive national chairman, national secretary and other officials for the party the bigger challenge now is how to prevail on the aspirants to work together towards electing one among them to fly the presidential ticket of the party,” another source added. Analysts said deciding the flag bearer of the party remains the biggest challenge.

Leaders of the ADC explained that they had to hold the convention so as to be able to put in place the necessary machinery to participate in the 2027 general elections, insisting that it was right for them to go ahead with the event as they had already notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the convention. Delegates voting at the ADC convention Party facing generational challenge – Mark The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Senator David Mark, described the crisis in the party as having to do with generational challenge. Mark, while speaking at the convention, said, “Our objective is not merely political success or a mere quest for power.

We see it as a duty to ourselves and to posterity to demonstrate to all Nigerians that something good can come out of politics, and that democracy can actually deliver a better life that they seek. This is the fundamental goal of our party. “We view this as a generational challenge.

And this is why we say to all opposition leaders in the country, regardless of your political party, come, let us work together to save our country. The challenges that we are confronted with goes beyond partisanship, it is a patriotic duty to rescue our country from creeping dictatorship and exploitative governance, “he said. Mark said his acceptance to serve as national chairman was with a clear sense of duty.

“And I accepted it with an unshakable commitment to reposition the ADC as the platform through which Nigeria will be rescued and rebuilt”. Lamenting that they have been betrayed, he said