By Editor
A new faction has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), further deepening the leadership crisis in the opposition party.
The faction, led by Don Norman Obinna, on Tuesday declared itself the authentic leadership of the party and distanced itself from both the group aligned with David Mark and another faction linked to Nafiu Bala.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Obinna said members of his group are the duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
The faction claimed that the tenure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu officially ended in August 2022. It accused Nwosu of remaining in office illegally after the expiration of his tenure, a situation it said led to several legal disputes within the party.
According to the group, the decision by Nwosu to hand over the party structure to the coalition led by Mark was “an illegal act” that does not represent the position of the party.
The Obinna-led faction announced several resolutions during the briefing. It declared that it has fully dissociated itself from Mark and members of the coalition, insisting they are not members of the ADC and cannot speak for the party.
The group also rejected Nafiu Bala, stating that he never held the position of National Vice Chairman of the party.
In addition, the faction affirmed that the party’s former presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, remains a bona fide member of the ADC.
The group further announced the appointment of new officials to manage the party’s affairs pending the conduct of a national convention.