ADC faction: David Mark not a bonafide member, ineligible to be chairman

The Nafiu Bala faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) says David Mark, former senate president, is not a bonafide member of the party.

In a statement issued on Friday, Aminu Alhassan, Bala’s special assistant on public affairs, said the constitution of a new national working committee (NWC) led by Mark is a “clear violation” of the party’s constitution.

BACKGROUND 

In July, opposition politicians and some ADC leaders adopted the party as the coalition platform for the 2027 elections.

Some of the coalition members include ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Mark, Uche Secondus, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman; Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna; Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP in 2023; Rauf Aregbesola, former minister of interior; Rotimi Amaechi, ex-transport minister, and Bolaji Abdullahi, former senatorial candidate.

On July 2, Ralph Nwosu, the party’s founder and former national chairman, announced the resignation of the NWC and endorsed the interim leadership headed by Mark.

The coalition members have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Mark-led NWC.

‘FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT CAN’T BE OVERLOOKED’

Alhassan said “only bonafide members of the party can aspire to leadership positions”.

“First and foremost, it is essential to clarify that the resignation of Chief Ralph Nwosu did not create a free-for-all scenario within the ADC,” the statement reads.

“Instead, it has opened a necessary dialogue regarding the future of our leadership, a dialogue that must be conducted within the framework established by our party’s constitution.

“The ADC’s constitution is unequivocal in stipulating that any individual seeking to assume a leadership role must first be a bonafide member of the party.

“This fundamental requirement cannot be overlooked or circumvented by any means.

“We would like to emphasise that there is no provision in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations, the constitution, or the ADC’s constitution that permits an individual to assume leadership without fulfilling the requisite criteria of membership and democratic process.”

Alhassan added that Mark and his purported NWC team are not a representation of the ADC but a “blatant disregard for the democratic principles” of what the party stands for.