The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is confronting a significant hurdle as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to formally recognize Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s new National Chairman and National Secretary. The commission has insisted that the party has not met all the necessary requirements, rendering any official documents and communications bearing their signatures invalid. This administrative setback poses a challenge to the party’s operations and its ability to prepare for upcoming elections.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed the commission’s stance, stating that the ADC is well aware of the outstanding issues. He advised that the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, who was part of a recent delegation to INEC, should have briefed the public on the specifics of the situation. This public statement from the electoral body puts the onus on the ADC to swiftly resolve the non-compliance issues and gain official recognition for its new leadership.
INEC’s regulations stipulate that political parties must submit detailed resolutions, verified signatures of authorized officials, and proof of adherence to constitutional procedures for any leadership change to be acknowledged. While the commission did not specify the exact missing requirements, it is understood that the ADC needs to submit sample signatures and other relevant documents as per its constitution. This adherence to protocol is crucial for the party’s official activities to be considered legitimate.
In response to the development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, downplayed the issue as “largely administrative.” He confirmed that the party had submitted the necessary paperwork to INEC, and expressed optimism that the situation would be resolved in the coming week. The party, which has accused unnamed individuals of attempting to hinder its progress, now awaits INEC’s official sign-off, which will enable its new leadership to operate without any legal ambiguity.
