The National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to move beyond the derecognition of the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and completely deregister the opposition party.
Basiru argued that the ADC has failed to justify its continued existence as a political party, citing what he described as its poor electoral performance and persistent internal crises.
Speaking at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja alongside the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, Basiru described the ADC as a drain on national time and resources.
According to him, INEC should remove the party entirely from the list of registered political parties rather than merely withdrawing recognition from the leadership faction led by former Senate President David Mark.
Basiru said the party’s recent electoral record provides sufficient grounds for its deregistration.
“You look at the bye-election in 17 constituencies, they won no seat. In the FCT Area Council elections, they won no chairmanship or councillorship seat. On the same day, state constituency by-elections were conducted in Rivers and Kano states and they won no seats too.
“Even the quantum of votes they had in all the elections was nothing to write home about. Ordinarily, INEC should deregister them because they are just wasting the time and resources of Nigerians,” he said.
The APC also rejected allegations by a faction of the ADC that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is attempting to weaken opposition parties in a bid to establish a one-party state.
Basiru insisted that the crisis rocking the ADC was self-inflicted and stemmed from what he described as a flawed leadership transition that eventually collapsed in court.
“Anytime they lose a case, democracy is in danger, but any time our party loses in court, they will say democracy is alive. It is very laughable,” he said.
Commenting on the internal wrangling within the opposition party, Basiru added, “You went and stole a rickety vehicle and if the vehicle has a brain box problem, you cannot blame us.”
He maintained that INEC merely complied with a subsisting court order directing all parties involved to maintain the status quo after the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal filed by the faction led by David Mark on procedural grounds.
According to him, neither the presidency nor the electoral commission should be blamed for the legal setbacks suffered by the party.
“If Senator Mark and his factional ADC leadership believe INEC’s interpretation is flawed, they ought to know the proper channel to seek redress — the courts.
“The public defiant posture of Senator Mark and his factional ADC leadership against orders of the Court of Appeal and its implementation by INEC not only amounts to self-help but recklessness,” Basiru said.
He also criticised the ADC’s demand for the removal of the INEC chairman and commissioners, describing the call as illogical.
“I think they are not ready for the elections because even if you sack the entire management of INEC as they are demanding, who will appoint another management? So, if the president appoints another management team in line with the Constitution, will they ask that those ones be sacked again?” he queried.
The APC further urged the opposition party to concentrate on resolving its internal disputes instead of blaming others, warning that any attempt to conduct party congresses in defiance of court orders would attract consequences.
The leadership crisis within the ADC has intensified in recent weeks following conflicting claims over the party’s leadership and a series of legal disputes that reached the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by the faction led by former Senate President David Mark on procedural grounds and directed all parties involved to maintain the status quo.
Following the ruling, INEC moved to recognise the existing leadership structure in line with the court’s directive, a move that effectively sidelined the disputed faction.
However, the development has continued to generate controversy, with some aggrieved members and observers questioning the commission’s interpretation of the court’s judgment.