By Adamu Yakubu, Abuja
The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has launched a scathing attack on the faction linked to former Senate President David Mark, accusing it of attempting to hijack the party’s structure for selfish interests.
Kachikwu described members of the group as “political buccaneers,” insisting their alleged takeover bid has collapsed following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, he said the court’s nullification of what he termed “kangaroo congresses and convention” conducted by the Mark-led camp vindicated his long-held position that certain individuals were bent on destabilising the party.
“The ADC is not for sale. Those who tried to hijack our party have been shown the way out through the same back door they came in,” he said.
He referenced the judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Maitama, noting that the court invalidated the factional congresses on the grounds that those who organised them lacked the legal standing to do so.
“In her judgment, which can only be described as a stinging rebuke, the court held that this group, despite having no locus, went ahead to conduct what she called ‘kangaroo congresses and convention,’ which were subsequently nullified,” Kachikwu stated.
He further noted that the court affirmed that state chairmen of the party—who constitute its National Executive Committee (NEC)—are the legitimate body to organise congresses and a national convention, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise them accordingly.
Kachikwu mocked the alleged plotters, describing them as “desperados” whose attempt to seize control of the party had failed under judicial scrutiny.
“These desperados have failed woefully. We hear they are already shopping for other parties to destabilise—we wish them bon voyage,” he said.
While declaring that the immediate threat had been contained, Kachikwu urged party members to remain vigilant, warning that the struggle for control of the party may not yet be over.
“The battle is not over until it is over. But one thing is clear—the ADC will be on the ballot in 2027 and remains a viable platform for Nigerians who genuinely seek to rescue this country,” he added.
He reaffirmed that the party would field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections, stressing that the ADC remains united and focused despite internal tensions.
Reiterating his broader political vision, Kachikwu said his movement is driven by the need for a “fundamental reset” of Nigeria’s political system, rather than coalition politics.
He criticised the current structure of governance, arguing that it fosters division instead of solutions, while highlighting worsening insecurity in the North and economic hardship in the South-East.
According to him, Nigeria’s challenges cannot be addressed with “the same mindset that created them,” insisting that a new political direction is required to reverse the country’s decline.
Also speaking, the chairman of ADC state chairmen, Kingsley Ogga, welcomed the court ruling, expressing confidence that justice had prevailed.
“Our labour will never be in vain,” Ogga said, as he commended party members for their resilience amid the leadership tussle.
© 2026, Standard Focus. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from STANDARD FOCUS.