By Ghazali Ibrahim
Top figures of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, on Wednesday led a protest in Abuja to demand recognition of the party’s disputed leadership.
The demonstration, tagged “Occupy INEC,” saw hundreds of party members and supporters march to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling on the electoral body to reverse its recent decision affecting the party’s leadership structure.
Also present at the protest were notable political figures including Rabiu Kwankwaso, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and Rotimi Amaechi, among others, signalling a broad coalition of opposition leaders.
Despite early morning rainfall in the Federal Capital Territory, protesters turned out in large numbers, chanting slogans and displaying placards as they converged on INEC’s premises, where security presence was significantly reinforced to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
The protest follows a deepening leadership crisis within the ADC, which has fractured into multiple factions in recent days.
At the centre of the dispute is INEC’s reported derecognition of the leadership led by David Mark, a move party loyalists insist is politically motivated.
Protesters accused the electoral body of undermining opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections and demanded immediate reinstatement of the party’s leadership as previously constituted.
As of the time of filing this report, demonstrators remained at the INEC headquarters, with speeches ongoing and calls for institutional transparency and fairness continuing to dominate proceedings.
The situation remains fluid, with political observers warning that the crisis within the ADC could have broader implications for opposition alignment ahead of the next election cycle.
