APC National Secretary Calls for Deregistration of ADC by INEC
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing poor electoral performance and internal crises within the party.
Speaking at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, Basiru, alongside the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, argued that the ADC has failed to justify its continued existence as a political party.
He noted that the ADC did not secure any seats in recent by-elections across 17 constituencies, nor did it win any positions in the FCT Area Council elections or state constituency polls in Rivers and Kano states. According to him, the party’s low vote count and lack of electoral success make a strong case for its removal from the list of registered political parties.
Basiru also dismissed claims by a faction of the ADC that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is attempting to weaken opposition parties to create a one-party state. He described such allegations as unfounded, insisting that the ADC’s challenges are self-inflicted and stem from internal leadership disputes.
He further criticised the faction led by former Senate President David Mark, blaming a flawed leadership transition and an unsuccessful legal challenge at the Court of Appeal for the party’s current predicament.
On the role of INEC, Basiru maintained that the commission acted in compliance with a court directive to maintain the status quo after the dismissal of an appeal filed by the Mark-led faction. He advised aggrieved members to seek redress through the courts rather than adopting what he described as a confrontational stance.
The APC also rejected calls by the ADC for the removal of INEC’s leadership, questioning the rationale behind such demands and pointing out that any new appointments would still be made in accordance with constitutional provisions.
Basiru warned that any attempt by the ADC to conduct party activities in defiance of court orders could have consequences, urging the party to focus instead on resolving its internal conflicts.
The crisis within the ADC has intensified in recent weeks, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s leadership. A recent ruling by the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal filed by the Mark-led group on procedural grounds and directed all parties to maintain the status quo, a decision that INEC has since enforced by recognising the existing leadership structure.
