Mouths wag over Tinubu as INEC strikes out David Mark, Aregbesola’s names from portal
By KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTER, Abuja
The DEFENDER reports that ADC had earlier said complained that the Tinubu-led APC government was pushing the INEC undermine it because of the injuries it sustained from Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the most vibrant opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), recently.
In what has been described as about the last opportunity long awaited to finally dismantle the opposition political parties ahead of 2027 to make the general elections an unopposed for Tinubu and other candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday April, 2026 removed the names of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from its official portal as National Chairman and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), respectively.
The commission also said it would not recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to be declared national chairman through the courts.
INEC announced on Wednesday that it would suspend recognition of all factions within the party and refrain from monitoring any conventions or congresses organised by groups aligned with the affected leaders.
The decision, it said, will remain in place pending the final determination of a substantive suit before the Federal High Court.
The development follows a leadership crisis within the ADC and a recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Suit No. CA/ABJ/145/2026, which has further complicated the dispute.
In a statement, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the Commission remains committed to neutrality.
He urged political stakeholders to avoid actions that could disrupt preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The latest stand of the electoral umpire was coming despite allegations that the Tinubu-led Federal Government was sponsoring unpatriotic persons no longer members of the ADC to put up a make-believe crisis that seems to factionalize the party thereby finding the development as an opportunity ostensibly orchestrated to weaken the most vibrant opposition party and stop it from being able to challenge its APC candidacy at the elections.
But INEC disclosed that it had received a letter dated March 16, 2026, from Suleiman Usman SAN & Co, warning against any recognition of Nafiu Bala Gombe as acting national chairman while legal proceedings are ongoing.
The Commission also confirmed receiving a separate “Demand for Enforcement” from Summit Law Chambers, representing Gombe, which called for the removal of Mark and Aregbesola from INEC’s records and urged the Commission to stop engaging with them or recognising any activities conducted under their authority.
The conflicting legal demands from the rival factions have deepened the party’s internal crisis, prompting INEC to halt all official dealings with the contending groups until the courts resolve the matter.
The DEFENDER reports that ADC had earlier said complained that the Tinubu-led APC government was pushing the INEC undermine it because of the injuries it sustained from Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the most vibrant opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), recently.
