Former national chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Ralph Nwosu, has said the party will go ahead with its planned congresses and national convention despite ongoing leadership disputes and the position taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Nwosu spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, April 9, stating that preparations for the 2027 general elections are continuing as scheduled.
“We are doing what we need to do in court and with INEC, but we will not let INEC stop any of our programs. After that bad INEC release, our chairman and the rest of us sat together and decided to continue moving forward.
“We sent our programme to INEC as required by law, and they approved it, all the dates were approved,” he said.
“According to the election rules, whether they come or not is up to them; we haven’t done anything wrong.”
He confirmed that the party’s congresses have already begun and that the national convention will proceed as planned.
“The congresses have already started. Our national convention, which is scheduled for the 14th, will still take place, and during that time, we will review and confirm all the work we’ve done,” Nwosu said.
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“We don’t want people who only look for easy opportunities in the ADC. We want leaders who are driven by a mission and have the bravery to stand up to a flawed system.”
Nwosu said the party will continue to notify INEC of its activities, including plans for candidate selection ahead of the next election.
“If they don’t agree, we’ll share it with all Nigerian media because they speak for the people,” he added.
INEC withdrew recognition from both the David Mark-led faction and the Nafiu Bala faction of the ADC last week, citing a Court of Appeal judgment and ongoing litigation before the Federal High Court.
The commission warned that holding congresses or conventions without its oversight could jeopardize the party’s participation in the 2027 elections, referencing precedents from Zamfara and Plateau states where similar violations led to electoral nullifications.
The ADC has accused INEC of deliberately creating obstacles to prevent the party from fielding candidates in 2027, while the commission maintains it is acting within the bounds of judicial directives to preserve the status quo pending resolution of the leadership dispute.