Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of orchestrating the ongoing leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleging that the ruling party aims to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, April 2, 2026, Melaye said Tinubu “wants to be coronated; he doesn’t want an election” and described the situation as “an affront on democracy.”
He also questioned the legitimacy of Rafiu Bala, also known as Nafiu Gombe, claiming he had resigned as deputy national chairman before filing a court case against the Mark-led ADC faction.
Melaye said the party would hold a world press conference at 2 p.m. on April 2 to outline its strategy.
READ ALSO: Dino Melaye Accuses Senate Of Endorsing Rigging, Unveiling 2027 Plot
The dispute follows a March 12, 2026, Court of Appeal judgment and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) announcement on Wednesday, April 1, that it would no longer recognize or engage with either faction of the ADC.
INEC also suspended monitoring of their meetings and removed former Senate President David Mark from its portal.
Bala, a former vice chairman of the party, had challenged the emergence of Mark and his colleagues at the National Working Committee, arguing he should have automatically assumed the chairmanship following Ralph Nwosu’s resignation in July 2025.
Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola subsequently took over as interim national chairman and national secretary.
Adopted in 2025 as a platform for opposition forces to challenge the APC in 2027, the ADC remains mired in internal legal disputes that could affect its cohesion and readiness for the upcoming elections, highlighting broader challenges facing Nigeria’s opposition parties.