The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Surajudeen Basiru, has dismissed allegations by a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark that the ruling party is behind the leadership crisis in the opposition party.
Mr Basiru described the allegations as “baseless,” “mischievous,” and a reflection of internal disarray within the ADC.
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Mr Basiru spoke at a press conference by the APC National Working Committee on Friday, where the ruling party responded to claims made earlier by the ADC faction concerning alleged political interference and threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
The ADC faction had accused President Bola Tinubu and his party (ADC) of deliberately weakening opposition parties in a bid to impose a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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They also alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted unlawfully by withdrawing recognition of their leadership, claiming the electoral body misinterpreted a Court of Appeal ruling which directed parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
The opposition group further accused INEC of partisanship and contempt of court, calling for the removal of the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan and all national commissioners.
Despite ongoing litigation and the appellate court’s directive, the faction insisted it would proceed with its planned congresses and national convention, warning Nigerians and the international community of what it described as a looming threat to democratic governance.
APC responds
Responding, Mr Basiru said the claims were “fallacious propaganda” aimed at misleading Nigerians and masking the ADC’s internal leadership crisis.
According to him, Nigeria currently has 19 registered political parties eligible to contest elections, stressing that Mr Tinubu lacks constitutional powers to deregister any party.
He argued that the crisis within the ADC was self-inflicted, stemming from what he described as the “untidy hijack” of the party’s leadership without consensus among stakeholders, which subsequently triggered legal disputes.
“Nigerians must know that the present predicament of David Mark and his ilk has to do with the untidy way they hijacked the leadership of an existing political party without carrying along all stakeholders resulting in court litigation before the Federal Hight Court and the adverse judgment of the Court of Appeal upon which the INEC predicated it decision not to recognise any of the two contending parties for the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) pending the determination of the pending suit by the court,” Mr Basiru said.
He explained that INEC’s decision to withhold recognition of any faction of the ADC leadership was based on a Court of Appeal judgement dismissing an appeal filed by Mr Mark’s group.
He noted that the appellate court found the appeal procedurally flawed and premature, particularly as key issues, including jurisdiction, were still pending before the Federal High Court.
The court, he added, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum and refrain from actions that could prejudice ongoing proceedings, while also awarding costs against Mr Mark’s faction.
“Where does President Bola Tinubu feature in their predicament, if not outright fallacious and malicious propaganda, he queried.
According to the APC, INEC’s stance merely reflects compliance with this ruling, dismissing allegations of bias as unfounded.
“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,” Mr Basiru said.
The APC also faulted the ADC faction’s decision to proceed with congresses and a national convention despite subsisting court orders.
Mr Basiru described the move as reckless and indicative of disregard for the rule of law, warning that the courts could ultimately nullify such actions.
He further criticised the call for the removal of INEC officials, describing it as “preposterous” and reflective of a poor understanding of constitutional processes governing the commission.
Taking a swipe at the ADC faction’s claim to opposition leadership, Mr Basiru said political relevance is determined by electoral performance, not press statements.
He argued that the ADC had failed to demonstrate credibility at the polls, citing recent local government elections in the Federal Capital Territory, where, he said, the group performed poorly.
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“You cannot lay claim to national relevance while your performance at the polls remains abysmal and unconvincing. Since the inception of their so-called coalition, they have been roundly rejected at the polls by Nigerians, including during the recently held Local Government Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Leadership of the opposition is not declared through press conferences or rhetoric; it is earned through consistent electoral credibility and public trust, both of which they have struggled to demonstrate,” he added.
The ruling party advised the ADC to address its internal challenges rather than blame external forces.
“No amount of external finger-pointing can erase their consistent failures or resolve their lingering leadership issues,” Mr Basiru said.
