The African Democratic Congress faced fresh internal conflict on Monday as rival groups issued conflicting statements about access to the Independent National Electoral Commission nomination portal.
Nafiu Bala Gombe led one faction that claimed success in uploading candidate names. Gombe’s group stated that it submitted Prof. Chris Uba as the presidential candidate and Dr. Shamsuddin Modibbo Barkindo as the running mate. The group added that it completed the process without issues.
However, the David Mark-led ADC leadership rejected the claim outright. Party officials, recognized by INEC as the legitimate authority, asserted that they had already uploaded former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate and Rotimi Amaechi as the running mate the previous week. They stressed that INEC granted portal access exclusively to their faction.
INEC sources confirmed the position of the Mark-led group. Officials noted that they did not issue access codes to Gombe’s side. They highlighted anomalies in the rival documents, including misspellings, as reasons for denial.
The disagreement arose amid ongoing court battles over control of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Atiku Abubakar’s media office aligned with the Mark-led faction and emphasized adherence to INEC guidelines.
Transitioning to the broader implications, the crisis highlighted persistent divisions within the ADC. Both sides continued to assert their legitimacy even as the electoral body maintained its stance.
Party insiders said the conflict could affect preparations for future polls. Nevertheless, the Mark-led leadership called for unity under the recognized structure. Gombe’s camp, meanwhile, vowed to pursue its claims through appropriate channels.
