The All Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will acknowledge its new leadership under former Senate President David Mark before the end of the week.
The disclosure was made by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, while speaking on Big Agenda with Chuchi, a programme on Prime Reporters.
According to Abdullahi, the issue was largely administrative and not political. He explained that INEC’s role was simply to observe and validate due process, not to approve party leadership.
“We don’t need INEC recognition in the political sense,” Abdullahi said. “The issue of party leadership is entirely the business of political parties. INEC just needs to be informed and satisfied that the process of transition followed due process. Once that is done, INEC will acknowledge the leadership, and this matter will be resolved within the week.”
He added that political parties are required to give INEC 21 days’ notice before convening such meetings, after which the commission sends representatives to observe. Once the process is completed, Abdullahi said, the party communicates the outcome to INEC for formal acknowledgement.
David Mark was named interim national chairman of the ADC in July, alongside former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was announced as national secretary.
The unveiling of the new leadership attracted opposition figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, among others.
However, months after the unveiling, INEC has yet to acknowledge the new leadership.
The ADC was adopted as the coalition platform the opposition intends to use to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
