African Democratic Congress battles INEC recognition and court rulings over 2027 election participation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed it will recognise only the candidates submitted by the David Mark‑led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has already nominated 471 candidates for the 2027 general election. The commission rejected the rival claim by Nafiu Bala Gombe that he had accessed its nomination portal, calling the alleged document forged and urging prosecution of Gombe for falsifying the claim.

The ADC has also asked INEC to investigate and prosecute Gombe, describing his actions as an attempt to mislead the public and undermine the integrity of the electoral body. The party reiterated that the false claim should be treated as a criminal matter.

In a separate legal battle, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reserved judgment on appeals challenging a Federal High Court order that sought to deregister the ADC and four other parties for failing to meet constitutional performance thresholds. The appellate panel also nullified the ADC’s April 14 national convention, raising uncertainty over whether the party’s candidates – including its presidential ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar – can stand in the 2027 elections.

Atiku Abubakar has used the occasion to demand independent investigations into corruption allegations against President Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and into the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal. He has also criticised a ₦6.44 billion budget allocation for a World Cup qualifying support group and condemned recent school kidnappings, accusing the government of neglecting education and security.