Over 500,000 new members registered with us after INEC saga – ADC

The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, says the party has recorded over 500,000 new members following the de-recognition of its factions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Abdullahi disclosed this in a post on his X handle, noting that the surge in membership occurred within days after INEC’s announcement on April 1.

“Between 7:00 PM on April 1st, when @inecnigeria released its statement, and 5:00 PM today, over half a million (500,000) new Nigerians have joined the ADC,” he wrote.

He had earlier revealed that over 40,000 Nigerians registered with the party within 12 hours of the commission’s initial statement, indicating a rapid rise in interest.

The development comes amid a prolonged leadership crisis within the ADC, which has seen rival factions led by Nafiu Bala Gombe and David Mark laying claim to the party’s leadership.

The dispute, which has been in court for months, prompted INEC to withdraw recognition from both factions, citing a March 12 judgement of the Court of Appeal.

In a statement signed by Mohammed Haruna, the commission said it would refrain from engaging with either group and would not attend their meetings or activities pending the outcome of a case before the Federal High Court.

Reacting to the decision, the ADC accused INEC of misinterpreting the appellate court ruling and described the commission’s action as unlawful and partisan.

The party also called for the removal of INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, arguing that the electoral body could no longer be trusted.

However, INEC defended its stance, maintaining that its decision was guided by the court judgement and aimed at upholding the rule of law and preventing electoral complications similar to past cases in states like Zamfara and Plateau.

The latest developments highlight deepening tensions within the opposition party as political alignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Join Very Nigerian WhatsApp Channel
For Verified Breaking News, Exclusive Reports, Trending Stories, And Real-time Updates.
CLICk HERE TO JOIN!