The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party has spent more time dealing with court cases than campaigning or building its structures since it emerged as a coalition opposition platform in 2025. Speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, he said the legal burden had been constant, adding that the party had nonetheless built what he called a formidable opposition platform.

Abdullahi argued that the legal challenges were part of an effort by the ruling All Progressives Congress to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said the aim was to discourage opposition so that only President Bola Tinubu would be a viable candidate on the ballot. Both the APC and the presidency have consistently denied responsibility for the ADC's legal crisis, according to reports.S1S2

Abdullahi maintained that the coalition had followed the necessary procedures before joining the ADC and questioned why legal obstacles continued. He said the matter was political rather than legal and questioned why some judges were making themselves available for such cases.S1

The comments come amid a prolonged leadership crisis in the ADC, which has pitted a faction led by former Senate President David Mark against former Deputy National Chairman Nafiu Gombe. The dispute followed the resignation of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu and the emergence of a caretaker leadership led by Mark in July 2025. Gombe challenged the process, arguing he was entitled to assume leadership after Nwosu's exit.S1

On November 5, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, ruled in favour of Gombe, declaring the Mark-led caretaker committee's emergence illegal and nullifying its actions.S1