ADC Concludes Convention, Amends Constitution, Ratifies Mark-Led NWC” — based on the reporting and background around the April 14, 2026 national convention.
The African Democratic Congress wrapped up its national convention on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, ratifying a sweep of reforms that had been rolling out through NEC meetings since March 2025. The convention approved decisions from the 97th, 98th, 99th, and 100th NEC meetings: dissolving the Ralph Okey Nwosu-led National Working Committee, installing a caretaker NWC headed by former Senate President David Mark for 12 months, endorsing new party congresses and manifesto, and expelling members over anti-party activities.
A big part of the convention was constitutional amendment. Delegates ratified the suspension of Article 23(4), which previously required that vacant offices be filled by someone from the same zone or constituency as the outgoing holder. That zoning rule was lifted to give the party flexibility during restructuring. The convention also adopted the report of the Constitutional Review Committee set up to promote “inclusiveness, transparency, equity, and fair participation” for women, youths, and persons with disabilities, and to clarify party organs, primaries, dispute resolution, and sanctions.
The Mark-led NWC itself emerged from months of legal and political wrangling. At the 99th NEC on July 29, 2025, the Nwosu NWC was dissolved and control handed to a caretaker committee led by Mark. Critics, including Nwosu and former Deputy National Chairman Nafiu-Bala Gombe, argued the takeover violated the ADC constitution, which required new members to spend two years in the party before holding office and mandated zonal replacement for vacancies. Gombe went to court to stop the Mark-led convention, but Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court refused the ex-parte application on Feb 3, 2026, saying all parties were already before the court.
INEC’s role added another layer. On March 12, 2026, the Court of Appeal ruled in a related case and INEC withdrew recognition of the Mark-led NWC, removing Mark and National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola from its website. The ADC rejected INEC’s action, called for the commission’s dissolution, and vowed the April 14 convention would hold regardless. The FCT chapter and other state chapters publicly backed Mark, urging aggrieved members to use internal dispute mechanisms instead of court cases.
Policy direction was also set. The NEC adopted a new manifesto and the constitutional review reports, which now go to the national convention for final ratification. The party also ratified its congress timetable: polling unit and ward congresses on the 7th, LG congresses on the 9th, state congresses on the 11th, and the national convention on the 14th — all in April 2026. Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary, said the NEC meeting had “full attendance,” including INEC representatives.
The 97th NEC had earlier waived membership requirements — the “two-year rule” in Articles 9(3) and 4(4) — to make the party more inclusive ahead of coalition talks. That move was communicated to INEC on April 3, 2025. Mark said the caretaker arrangement is meant to guide the ADC through coalition negotiations and internal restructuring for 2027.
The convention planning itself was elaborate. The ADC released an updated list of 16 sub-committees — logistics, electoral, security, media, delegate accreditation, etc. — with Liyel Imoke as Central Coordination Committee chairman and Aminu Tambuwal as deputy. Despite the INEC withdrawal and ongoing Supreme Court appeal by Mark, the party proceeded, insisting the convention was lawful and necessary for repositioning.
So the Zoning rules suspended, inclusiveness and accountability provisions strengthened, and The Mark-led NWC was ratified by delegates as the party’s caretaker leadership for the next year, positioning ADC for coalition-building toward 2027.
