Mark's Faction Hijacked ADC Party Structure, Kachikwu Alleges

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is embroiled in a significant internal crisis, with presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu leveling serious accusations against former Senate President David Mark and his associates. Kachikwu asserts that Mark's faction has orchestrated a hostile takeover of the party's structure, pushing out legitimate executives and installing their own loyalists through what he describes as illegally constituted committees.

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dumebi Kachikwu, has said former Senate President David Mark and his allies seized control of the party by pushing out existing executives and replacing them with loyalists through illegally constituted committees.

According to Kachikwu, this move directly contravenes the ADC's constitution, which vests the authority for conducting party congresses and conventions with state chairmen. He claims that ad hoc committees were created to usurp the powers of these state executives, leading to widespread discontent among party members nationwide. The narrative from Kachikwu's camp suggests a stark class division within the party, with Mark's faction allegedly deeming some state chairmen as "commoners" unfit to associate with.

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You do not have anything to be afraid of regarding all the litigations before the party. I want to assure you that we shall triumph in all the cases, and we shall be on the ballot for every election. We are more than prepared and ready for these cases, and we shall do everything within the ambits of the law to surmount every situation.

Adding a legal dimension to the dispute, a Federal High Court in Abuja has intervened, issuing an order that restrains the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the congresses organized by the Mark-led faction. The court also barred prominent figures within that faction from interfering with the tenure and functions of elected state executives. This ruling appears to validate Kachikwu's claims of illegality surrounding the faction's actions.

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In our constitution, the congresses are conducted and midwifed by the state chairman. Same thing with the convention.

Despite the court's decision, David Mark, through a party spokesperson, has projected confidence, assuring members that the ADC will participate in all elections in 2027. His camp has indicated they are pursuing an appeal against the judgment and have filed for a stay of execution. This ongoing legal battle and internal power struggle highlight a deep rift within the ADC, raising questions about the party's stability and future direction.

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So those congresses, what David Mark did, they set up ad hoc committees and had these committees take over the functions of the state’s escrows to bring in people they wanted.