The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reported a significant rise in membership despite the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to withdraw recognition of the party.
According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, over 500,000 Nigerians signed up within a few days following INEC’s announcement. He shared this update on his X account, noting that the registrations were recorded between 7:00 pm on April 1 and 5:00 pm on April 5.
Abdullahi also revealed that interest surged immediately after the announcement, with more than 40,000 people joining within the first 12 hours.
This development comes at a time when the party is facing an internal leadership dispute, with rival factions led by Nafiu Bala and David Mark both claiming control. The crisis, which began in July 2025 after an opposition coalition took over the party’s leadership, has since led to ongoing legal battles.
INEC, referencing a March 12 Court of Appeal judgment, stated last week that it would no longer recognise either faction. The commission added that it would not participate in any activities organised by the groups until a pending case before a Federal High Court is resolved.
In response, the ADC accused INEC of wrongly interpreting the court ruling and called for the removal of the commission’s chairman, alleging bias and misconduct.
However, INEC has stood by its decision, saying it is necessary to respect the rule of law and prevent a repeat of past electoral issues seen in states like Zamfara and Plateau, where elections were overturned due to non-compliance with court orders.
Despite the challenges, the ADC insists the recent wave of registrations shows increasing public interest and support for the party.