ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has fixed May 12, 2026, for the inauguration of its newly elected state executives, as the leadership led by David Mark moves to consolidate control of the party despite ongoing internal disputes.
The decision signals an effort by the Mark-led leadership to formalise its authority across state structures, even as parallel congresses, court cases and rival claims continue to trail the exercise in parts of the country.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, who congratulated the newly elected officials and described the congresses as peaceful and consistent with the party’s constitution.
According to him, the elections reflected the party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency and the rule of law, while commending members and stakeholders for what he described as maturity and discipline during the process.
Abdullahi said the inauguration of the state executives would proceed as scheduled on May 12, although any changes would be communicated by the party’s National Working Committee.
He urged the newly elected officials to remain committed to the party’s ideals and work towards strengthening its structures across the states.
The party also expressed confidence that the new leadership at the state level would help deepen its grassroots presence and position the ADC as a credible political alternative for Nigerians.
The planned inauguration comes amid a deepening leadership crisis within the party, with reports of suspensions, legal challenges and parallel congresses in several states raising concerns about the uniformity and acceptance of the process nationwide.
Despite the disputes, the Mark-led leadership has maintained that the congresses conducted under its supervision remain valid and has continued with plans to stabilise the party ahead of future elections.
