Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has strongly criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for recognising former Senate President, David Mark, as the national chairman of the party. Kachikwu described INEC’s action as “irresponsible,” especially since the matter is still before the courts.
Kachikwu made the comments during an interview on Politics Today, a political programme aired on Channels Television on Thursday. He accused the INEC chairman of showing a lack of respect for ongoing legal proceedings concerning the leadership of the ADC.
“What we saw from the INEC chairman was another irresponsible act from the outgoing chairman of INEC,” Kachikwu said. “It is a norm that when you have cases that are in court, you respect those cases and you don’t do anything that will affect the outcomes.”
He added that the courts are expected to hear the case involving David Mark and his group next month and urged Nigerians to wait for the ruling. “The courts are sitting on our matter with David Mark and co next month, and Nigerians will see the rulings after the courts sit,” he stated.
The ADC has been facing internal crisis over its leadership, with different factions laying claim to the national leadership of the party. David Mark, a former Senate President and prominent figure in Nigerian politics, was recently recognised by INEC as the new national chairman of the party, sparking controversy among members and stakeholders.
Kachikwu, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the ADC, has been one of the most vocal critics of the party’s current direction. He insists that the recognition of Mark by INEC is politically motivated and undermines the internal democratic processes of political parties.
He also expressed his general distrust in the leadership of INEC, blaming the electoral body for contributing to the decline of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. “This is why Nigeria is seen as a failed nation. We keep recycling the same politicians who have failed us, and they are still being imposed on the people through weak institutions,” he said.
Kachikwu warned that unless the political system is cleaned up and the rule of law respected, Nigeria will continue to suffer poor leadership and worsening governance.
As the court prepares to hear the leadership tussle in the coming weeks, the ADC crisis highlights wider issues of internal democracy, party discipline, and the role of electoral bodies in party affairs.
