The forum also called on INEC to immediately remove the names of Senator David Mark and members of his dissolved Interim National Working Committee (NWC) from its portal and replace them with those of Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe and other officials it considers the party’s legally recognised leadership.
It further urged the electoral commission to reopen its portal to enable the ADC to conduct fresh primaries where necessary and upload its candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The forum’s Secretary, Kennedy Odion, made the demands while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, following the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified the Mark-led interim leadership of the party.
Odion said the judgment invalidated decisions taken by the dissolved interim NWC, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate and the emergence of other candidates through congresses and a national convention organised by the faction.
He described the ruling as a judicial confirmation of the forum’s longstanding position that the Mark-led leadership lacked constitutional recognition.
“We, the only legally recognised NEC members, accept in its entirety the judgment declaring our own Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe the authentic national chairman of the ADC.
“Failure to comply with this latest judgment will leave us no option but to proceed with our planned nationwide protest against the electoral umpire. Nigeria is for all of us. No individual, however highly placed, is above the law,” Odion said.
He maintained that the ruling also invalidated the candidacies of Atiku, his running mate, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and other politicians nominated through the dissolved interim leadership.
The ADC has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership crisis involving the Mark-led interim NWC and a faction led by Bala Gombe. The dispute has generated several legal battles over the party’s leadership structure and the legitimacy of its congresses and national convention.
In an earlier ruling delivered on April 29, 2026, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled in favour of ADC state chairmen led by Don-Norman Obinna.
The court affirmed the tenure of the elected state executive committees pending the lawful conduct of fresh congresses and the convocation of a national convention. It also restrained INEC from recognising congresses organised by the interim NWC.
The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment on June 13, 2026. However, Odion alleged that INEC continued to recognise the Mark-led leadership and accept candidates produced through its congresses and national convention despite the earlier court decisions.
He disclosed that the forum had taken steps to challenge the commission’s actions, while the broader leadership dispute remained a subject of litigation before the Supreme Court.
According to him, the forum’s decision to pursue legal remedies rather than resort to confrontation helped prevent violence among aggrieved party members and candidates.
“The maturity shown by the NEC Chairmen Forum as law-abiding members of society prevented a melee and saved the lives of agitated and disenchanted party members and candidates,” he said.
Odion also commended the judiciary for what he described as its courage in upholding justice, despite alleged attempts by the dissolved interim leadership to discredit the courts through propaganda.
While awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on the earlier litigation, he reaffirmed the forum’s support for Bala Gombe and expressed optimism that his leadership would restore stability and order within the party.
He congratulated Bala Gombe and ADC members, declaring that “sanity” had returned to the party.
The latest development is expected to further intensify the ADC leadership crisis, particularly as the party prepares for the political activities and nomination processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
