ADC will not bow to political pressure, says Mark

Party ratifies ex-Senate President-led NWC

.Expels Nafiu Bala, Abejide, eight others over anti-party activities

.Atiku, Amaechi, Obi harp on unity, viable candidate

National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sen. David Mark, has said that the party will not bow to intimidation amid mounting political pressure.

Mark stated this during the party’s 2026 national convention held on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that the national convention attracted no fewer than 3,000 delegates, all of whom were gathered to elect new members of National Working Committee to steer the ship of the party for the next four years.

“We have made it clear that in an ever-shrinking democratic space, the ADC will not bow, will not be cowed, and we will not retreat,” Mark said.

According to him, strong political movements are built not in comfort but in difficult times when citizens demand change, leadership, integrity and unwavering commitment to national progress.

“We will not surrender because what is at stake is not just the opposition, but the very survival of democracy in Nigeria,” he added.

Mark said that attempts to weaken the party had rather strengthened its internal unity, expanded its coalition and reinforced the importance of a strong opposition in sustaining democracy.

According to him, a new generation of Nigerians is demanding accountability, transparency and leadership that support their ambitions, positioning ADC as a credible alternative political platform.

Mark noted that the party’s objective goes beyond political power but a duty to demonstrate that democracy could improve lives and deliver meaningful development.

He called on opposition leaders across party lines to unite in rescuing the country, describing the current challenges as a patriotic duty beyond partisan political interests.

The former senate president commended members for successfully conducting congresses nationwide despite challenges, noting that the party was deepening its grassroots presence and democratic participation.

He urged the newly-elected leaders to embrace accountability, inclusiveness and service, emphasising that leadership must reflect unity, coordination and commitment to shared national aspirations.

Mark reiterated that the party’s core principles remained transparency, accountability and participation, adding that no member, regardless of status, would be above the party’s constitution.

He assured Nigerians that ADC would prioritise people-focused governance, protect citizens’ welfare and ensure deployment of national resources to improve the quality of life.

Declaring the convention open, Mark expressed confidence that with unity, discipline and commitment, ADC would play a defining role in shaping Nigeria’s democratic future.

The ADC has also ratified the National Working Committee led by Sen. David Mark to steer the party affairs for the next four years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision was reached during the party’s 8th national convention held on Tuesday in Abuja.

NAN also reports that the delegates from the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) voted overwhelmingly to affirm the newly-constituted leadership.

The convention also approved key amendments to the party’s constitution through voting.

In his remarks, Mark commended the planning committee’s chairman, describing the convention as organised and superior to previous conventions he had attended in the course of his political career.

He described the convention as the beginning of ADC’s march toward national leadership, urging members to remain committed to the growth and development of the party.

Meanwhile, the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expelled a factional chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala and the member representing Yagba federal constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide,

It also announced the expulsion of other party members, including a factional leader, Kingsley Temitope, Noman Obinna, Kennedy Odion, Stella Chukwuma, and four others.

According to the party, the affected members were expelled for alleged anti-party activities and attempts to create confusion and instability within the party.

The motion for their expulsion was moved by Binos Yaroe, the senator for Adamawa South Senatorial District and seconded by Abdussamad Dasuki, representing Kebbi/Tambuwal federal constituency at the House of Representatives during the party’s convention in Abuja On Tuesday.

In another development, leaders of African Democratic Congress (ADC) have stressed the need for unity and adoption of a credible candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as well as former Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Peter Obi, made the call at the 2026 ADC national convention in Abuja on Tuesday.

Amaechi, while speaking at the convention, noted that electoral success was dependent on presenting a strong and widely-acceptable candidate.

He recalled the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that leaders then set aside ethnic and religious sentiments to rally behind a competent candidate with broad national appeal.

“We did it in APC,” Amaechi said, stressing that party stakeholders deliberately chose a viable candidate and avoided divisive considerations that could weaken unity and electoral prospects.

He, however , expressed the regret that Nigeria had regressed into divisive politics, with ethnicity and religion dominating discourse, blaming the trend for worsening national challenges and weakening cohesion among citizens.

Amaechi said that economic realities should guide national thinking, noting that markets were driven by currency value, not identity, even as he called on citizens to prioritise shared prosperity over sectional sentiments.

“Today, religion and ethnicity brought us here. There is no Muslim market, no Christian market; the market is Naira,” he said, calling on Nigerians to embrace unity and economic pragmatism above divisive affiliations.

He also urged the party members to make informed decisions, expressing optimism that unity, merit and pragmatism would shape the party’s choices ahead of the 2027 elections.

Also speaking, Obi said that while leaders had spoken well, Nigerians must confront realities through data.

He noted that Nigeria moved from fourth position to eighth in global terrorism ranking, warning that further decline could occur without decisive and collective national action.

Obi also stated that Nigeria’s debt had increased from N87 trillion to about N200 trillion, submitting that borrowings had surged despite subsidy removal.

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate decried what he called low funding of the 2025 budget, with its attendant implications on the nation’s economy.

While cautioning that failure to act could endanger future generations, he urged Nigerians to work collectively to prevent economic collapse.

On his own part, Abubakar enjoined ADC members and Nigerians to ensure meaningful change in the country’s political direction.

He said his generation remained committed to securing a better future for youths, stressing that current efforts were driven by concern for younger Nigerians and future generations.

The former vice-president assured that corruption would not be tolerated under ADC, promising strict governance and refusal to compromise with criminal elements or terrorists threatening national stability.

He described the struggle as one for all Nigerians, calling for collective responsibility in restoring democracy and national integrity across institutions and governance structures.