The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed the African Democratic Congress’s (ADC) resistance to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to derecognise its leadership, warning that the party risks being excluded from the 2027 general elections.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made the remarks in a post on his X handle on Friday, faulting the faction led by former Senate President David Mark for what he described as reliance on sentiment rather than legal principles.
He accused the group of attempting to resolve a “purely legal conundrum” through “emotional reasoning and blackmail,” insisting that the law does not accommodate sentiment.
“The David Mark’s faction of the ADC really think they can use emotional reasoning and blackmail to bluff their way out of a purely legal conundrum they brought upon themselves. Unfortunately for them, law does not admit of sentiment,” Keyamo wrote.
He also dismissed the faction’s reliance on the doctrine of “status quo ante bellum,” arguing that those invoking it were “chasing shadows and not the substance.”
According to him, the ongoing court dispute over the party’s leadership, following a takeover attempt involving a deputy national chairman, could invalidate any nominations if not resolved before INEC’s deadline.
“The implication is that the ADC may end up having NO CANDIDATE for the election,” he said.
Keyamo added that rather than criticising INEC, the party should appreciate the commission’s intervention, which he described as a timely warning before the close of the nomination window.
He outlined three possible options for the party: secure a legally compliant platform, fast-track the court process, or resolve its internal leadership crisis through negotiation.
He also rejected claims that the All Progressives Congress (APC) or INEC were responsible for the ADC’s internal problems, describing such allegations as unfounded.
“Neither APC nor INEC prodded these grown adults and supposedly ‘experienced’ politicians to go and hijack an existing platform without sound legal advice and without properly sorting out every member of the leadership of that existing platform,” he said.
Reacting to the faction’s insistence on proceeding with congresses and a convention despite the legal uncertainties, Keyamo remained dismissive.
“That is fine by us. NEVER INTERRUPT YOUR OPPONENT WHEN HE IS MAKING A MISTAKE,” he wrote.
The ADC has been battling with a leadership crisis since 2025, when the David Mark-led faction emerged following a National Executive Committee meeting that dissolved the previous executive.
The dispute escalated after former deputy national chairman Nafiu Bala challenged the takeover in court, contesting claims that he had resigned in May 2025.
INEC had earlier announced that it would no longer recognise the Mark-led leadership, citing a Court of Appeal judgment directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case at the Federal High Court.
The commission further stated that it would not recognise any faction until the legal process is concluded.
In response, Mark accused INEC of acting in contempt of court and called for the removal of INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan. He also insisted that the faction would proceed with its planned congresses starting April 9 and a convention scheduled for April 14, arguing that party activities do not require INEC’s presence.
Meanwhile, the APC, through its National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, has denied allegations of interference, describing the ADC’s crisis as self-inflicted.
