The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark of acting unlawfully and defying court orders amid an ongoing leadership dispute within the opposition party.
Speaking at a press conference on April 3, 2026, APC National Secretary Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru rejected claims by the ADC faction that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is weakening opposition parties in a bid to establish a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Basiru described the allegations as “baseless” and “mischievous,” stating that “there are 19 registered political parties in Nigeria, and the president has no constitutional power to deregister any political party.”
The ruling party said the crisis within the ADC is self-inflicted, stemming from what it described as an irregular takeover of the party’s leadership that excluded key stakeholders and triggered litigation at the Federal High Court.
According to the APC, the situation worsened after the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal filed by Mark’s faction. The party noted that the court found the appeal to be procedurally flawed and premature, and subsequently ordered all parties to maintain the status quo.
“It is the above orders of the court that are being put into effect,” Basiru said, adding that the appeal was “dismissed as unmeritorious” with costs awarded against the appellants.
The APC maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted within the law by refusing to recognize either faction of the ADC leadership pending the final determination of the case.
Responding to allegations of bias and contempt of court against INEC, Basiru said the commission was merely implementing the court’s directive.
“If they believe INEC’s interpretation is flawed, they ought to seek redress in court, not resort to self-help,” he said.
He described the ADC faction’s stance as reckless, warning that “their defiant posture against the orders of the Court of Appeal amounts to illegality.”
The APC also criticized calls by the ADC faction for the removal of the INEC chairman and commissioners.
Basiru said such demands “expose a lack of seriousness and understanding of constitutional processes,” noting that decisions within INEC are taken collectively, not by the chairman alone.
The party further faulted the Mark-led faction for insisting on proceeding with party congresses and conventions despite the pending court case.
“It is settled law that court decisions are binding on all parties until set aside, warning that actions taken in defiance of the court “may eventually be declared null and void,” Basiru said.
He added that any consequences arising from such actions should not be blamed on the APC or the presidency.
In its concluding remarks, the APC urged the ADC to resolve its internal crisis instead of blaming external forces.
“Blaming other parties will not fix their internal crises,No amount of external finger-pointing can erase their consistent failures or resolve their lingering leadership issues,”he said
The statement comes amid growing political activity and realignments as parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.