The state congresses of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), scheduled for Saturday, 11 April 2026, have been stalled, according to reports across the country.
The crisis, which has since fragmented the party into three camps led by former Senate President David Mark, Nafiu Bala Gombe and a bloc spearheaded by some state ADC chairmen, led to the recent de-recognition of the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
While some states have announced the suspension of their congresses, a few states, however, vowed to proceed with the election ahead of the party’s convention.
In Adamawa State, a Yola High Court has stopped the party from going ahead with its planned congresses.
Justice Ahmed Isa ordered the suspension of the congresses until the case is determined. The court subsequently adjourned the case to 15 April 2026 for continuation of the hearing.
The embattled state chairman, Shehu Yohanna, had approached the court, seeking to stop the congresses due to alleged exclusion from the process.
Yohanna filed the suit against Sadiq Dasin, the state chairman of the transition committee. But the Northeast Vice Chairman of the party, Babachir Lawal, who was a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, denied knowledge of the court ruling.
‘I’m in Abuja, so I don’t know about the case. Go and ask those who were in court today. I don’t know anything about the court case’, he said.
In Anambra, the state congresses would also not be held. The state chairman, Patrick Obianyo, said that the proposed congresses have been suspended until further notice.
Obianyo said that the party’s decision underscores its unwavering commitment to the rule of law, due process, and respect for judicial authority.
He, therefore, called on all party members and stakeholders to remain calm, law-abiding, and peaceful throughout this period.
He also informed the INEC not to recognise anything done by those parading themselves as ADC leaders in the state.
Obianyo said: ‘The African Democratic Congress, the Anambra State chapter, has announced the immediate suspension of all planned and proposed congresses across the state, until further notice.
‘For the avoidance of doubt, the tenure of the current ADC Executive Committee in Anambra State, as well as in other states, remains constitutionally valid and duly recognised by INEC.
‘Consequently, the general public is strongly advised to disregard any directives, announcements, or actions from unauthorised individuals falsely parading themselves as party leaders.
‘The party will duly communicate new dates for congresses and conventions following the conclusion of ongoing national consultations and meetings’.
The Ondo State chapter of the party has also announced the suspension of its earlier-scheduled congresses following the re-recognition of the party’s national leadership.
In a statement, the state chairman of the party, Mr Wole Ademoyegun, explained that the suspension was in line with the INEC directive, which advised the party to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
He said: ‘We reaffirm our unwavering respect for INEC as the constitutionally constituted regulatory authority for political parties and our firm commitment to due process and institutional order.
‘Accordingly, all members and stakeholders of the party are hereby enjoined to remain calm, maintain unity, and exercise the highest level of discipline during this period.
‘The party strongly advises against any form of activity that may contravene the directive of INEC or disrupt the peace and order within the party’.
In Zamfara State, the party said it might not hold the congresses as planned.
The state chairman, Alhaji Kabiru Garba, said that the party has yet to make any preparations for the congresses.
He told The PUNCH: ‘Being the state chairman of ADC in Zamfara, I am telling you that I don’t know anything about the forthcoming congresses. Nobody has briefed me on the level of preparedness regarding the congresses. As such, I have no idea whether the exercises will hold or not’.
In Niger State, the party has suspended its planned congresses across all 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) until further notice.
The state chairman, Musa Hassan, said the decision was to uphold the rule of law, due process, and judicial authority.
He warned that the INEC would not recognise any congress conducted by unauthorised committees and urged the public to disregard directives from individuals posing as party leaders. A new date will be announced after ongoing consultations.
The crisis rocking the Kaduna State chapter of the party escalated on Wednesday as rival groups issued conflicting positions on the conduct of the party’s ward, local government and state congresses.
While one faction announced the postponement of the exercise to May, another dismissed the decision as unauthorised, insisting that any such move lacked constitutional backing and would not be recognised.
In a statement on 6 April 2026, a group led by the state Organising Secretary, Adamu Bello, said that the congresses, originally scheduled to begin on 7 April, had been postponed following a surge in defections to the party.
The statement, co-signed by the Publicity Secretary, Idris Musa, explained that the postponement was to accommodate new entrants and ensure inclusivity.
It read: ‘This decision follows a significant influx of defectors from various parties, including the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party), APC (All Progressives Congress), NNPP (New Nigeria People’s Party) and Labour Party.
‘The party leadership believes conducting the congress at this time would be premature and may not reflect the true representation of the party’s growing strength’.
It added that the congresses had been rescheduled to the first week of May, noting that the national leadership had been informed.
However, another faction rejected the announcement, describing it as misleading and lacking official authorisation.
In a disclaimer issued by the factional State Organising Secretary, Ibrahim Musa, the group denied claims that the INEC had stopped the congresses.
‘The attention of the ADC has been drawn to a purported publication claiming that INEC has stopped the party from conducting its leadership elections. This claim is false and misleading’, the statement read.
It added that those behind the publication were not recognised as the party’s spokespersons and did not represent its official position.
‘This appears to be a deliberate attempt to misinform party members and create confusion’, the statement added, warning that action could be taken against those involved.
Weighing in on the development, the factional chairman of the party in the state, Ahmed Tijjani Mustapha, insisted that only the state executive committee had the authority to organise congresses.
‘They are stakeholders of the party, but the conduct of congresses is clearly stipulated in our constitution.
‘It is the mandate of the state executive committee to decide when and how congresses will be held, he further said.
In Osun State, the chapter chairman, Charles Omidiji, said members would not participate in the forthcoming state congress. He, however, said that a faction within the party in the state, called the Omoluabi Progressives, planned to hold the congress.
‘I have the directive of the national body not to participate in the congress. But a faction in Osun ADC called Omoluabi Progressives is planning to hold the congress. But as Osun State chairman of the party, I am telling you that we are not participating’, he said.
However, the party’s Director of Media in the state, Seun Abosede, said that Omidiji was no longer the chairman of the party in the state and thus incompetent to speak for the party.
‘He can’t speak for Osun ADC. He has joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress. He has been listed on the website of the party as Osun’s protem chairman. Omidiji is no longer in Osun ADC.
‘We are proceeding with the congress. On Saturday, we will have our state congress, and thereafter, we will proceed to the national convention. You can check the website of the NDC (Nigeria Democratic Congress), Omidiji is listed on its website as Osun protem chairman’, Abosede said.
But the situation is different in Plateau State, where the party insisted it is set to proceed with its state congresses scheduled for Saturday.
In an interview with The PUNCH in Jos, the state capital, the state ADC Chairman, Hannatu Gagara, confirmed that the party would go ahead with the congress, adding: ‘We have done the screening of delegates at the ward and local government levels. So, we are proceeding with the state congress on Saturday by the Grace of God’.
He dismissed concerns over the INEC de-recognition, stating, ‘The electoral body did not say we should stop our congresses. And besides, we contacted INEC this morning about it, and I can tell you they have no problem with what we are doing’.
The party’s National Chief Whip, Sabiu Musa, who is also from Plateau State, echoed Gagara’s sentiments, saying,
The party has held its ward and local government congresses in Plateau State, and from the report I received, they were a success. So, the remaining one, which is the state congress, will be an affirmation of the current chairman, led by Ambassador Hannatu Gagara. So, ADC is good to go in Plateau State’.
In the same vein, the Jigawa State chapter has vowed to proceed with its scheduled ward, local government, and state congresses.
A chieftain and coordinator of the party coalition in the state, Mahmud Gumel, confirmed to our correspondent on Wednesday that the congresses will hold as planned, saying the party is not intimidated by INEC’s actions.
‘We will go ahead with our congresses and convention. We have complied with the law by giving INEC the required notice. Whether they attend or not, our processes will continue’, Gumel said.
He expressed concern about what he described as attempts to undermine political pluralism ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such actions could weaken Nigeria’s democratic framework and limit voters’ choices.
In Edo State, the party, on Thursday, held its ward and LGA congresses across the 192 wards and 18 LGAs to elect new leaders. The party said it was ready for the state Congress fixed for Saturday.
However, the state chairman, Ken Odion, described the congress as null and void, noting that the state chapter will comply with INEC’s decision.
Odion said that proceeding would be a futile exercise, resulting in the wanton waste of capital and human resources.
He said: ‘Some people said that they are going ahead, but as a state chairman, I am not going ahead with those activities because when you go ahead, you finish it, and you need to submit it to the body that said you should not go ahead. Where do you want to submit the report?’’
The Kogi State ADC has asked party members to disregard the purported suspension of the state congresses, according to a statement on Wednesday by the chapter’s Publicity Secretary, Abdumalik Suleiman.
‘The African Democratic Congress, Kogi State chapter, wishes to inform party members, stakeholders, and the general public to disregard the purported suspension of congresses in Kogi State contained in a letter issued by the state’s outgoing Chairman, Mr Kingsley Ogga’.
Suleiman said that ‘Ogga lacks the constitutional authority to suspend congresses in the state’.
‘In issuing that directive, he usurped the powers of the National Working Committee, the only organ of the party vested with the authority to commence or halt electoral processes within the party’.
In Oyo State, the state publicity secretary of the party, Bimbo Adelowo, was asked if the congresses would continue. He said: ‘In the light of the derecognition of the David Mark-led interim committee of ADC, a lot of situations have arisen that make the party a political party technically without clear-cut leadership.
He said: ‘First, I would like to say this: INEC might be wrong in its decision to derecognise the interim NWC of ADC, but the fact that INEC, as a regulatory body, is empowered under law to set rules, whether the rules are just or not, is another case entirely.
‘Since INEC has made a pronouncement, definitely everyone should abide by it until otherwise is pronounced by a court of competent jurisdiction.
‘Our congresses, in view of the above, have been shelved in order not to run foul of the law. But that doesn’t preclude our party from holding our meetings, only that INEC will not monitor any of the meetings’.
A faction in Abia State distanced the party from the actions of Don Obinna, saying he lacked the authority to act or speak as the party’s chairman in the state.
The decision was reached in Umuahia, the state capital, on Thursday, where party leaders, including Senator Austine Akobundu (Abia Central), Uko Nkole and Okey Igwe, among other stakeholders, reviewed the situation in the party and reaffirmed their commitment to due process.
Reading the communiqué on behalf of the caucus, Nkole drew attention to a subsisting order of the Abia State High Court which, through an interim injunction dated 3 December 2025, restrained Obinna from parading himself or acting in any capacity as chairman of the party in the state pending the determination of the case.
The caucus also referenced the findings of the ADC Southeast zonal disciplinary committee contained in a report dated 25 September 2025, which clarified the party’s position on Obinna’s conduct and status.
According to the caucus, Obinna’s continued claim to the party leadership in Abia State is unlawful and misleading, and is a violation of party discipline and contempt of a valid court order. It therefore declared that any meetings, directives, or public engagements conducted by him in the name of the party are null and void.
The caucus reaffirmed Kanu Kanu as the acting State Chairman of the ADC pending the conduct of the party’s state congresses.
Meanwhile, Obinna has said that the current tenure of the state ward, LGA, and state executives remains in effect.
In a statement on Thursday, Obinna advised party members, leaders, and stakeholders to ‘remain calm, stay positive, and promote the constructive message of ADC while refraining from acts that could disturb peace in their areas’.
