The crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State has deepened after a faction loyal to former governorship candidate Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani announced a mass resignation from the party, citing a “total collapse of internal democracy.”
In a communiqué issued after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held on April 18 at the residence of Hon. Mijiyewa Umaru Kugama, the group declared that the party’s leadership at both state and national levels had lost legitimacy and could no longer be trusted to uphold democratic principles.
The communiqué, signed by Kugama and the group’s secretary, Hon. Saidu Njobdi Komsiri, accused the leadership of imposing candidates, disregarding court orders, and sidelining genuine party members in the recently concluded congresses. “The actions of the party leadership have destroyed internal democracy, undermined the rule of law, and rendered the party structure in Adamawa State illegitimate and unacceptable,” the stakeholders said.
The group alleged that the congresses conducted under the supervision of Ishaya Bauka (Rtd) were riddled with irregularities and manipulation, claiming they were imposed “against the will of the majority of party members.” They further accused party leaders of deliberately ignoring valid court judgments and subsisting injunctions, describing the move as a “dangerous precedent of lawlessness.”
According to them, the process was characterised by “systematic exclusion, intimidation, and imposition,” effectively shutting out key stakeholders and aspirants from participating.
In one of the most significant ruptures in the state’s opposition landscape, the stakeholders passed a vote of no confidence on the ADC leadership and announced their “immediate and irreversible resignation en masse.” They also rejected the outcomes of the congresses, declaring them “null, void, and of no consequence.”
“The ADC has, by its actions, abdicated its responsibility as a democratic institution in Adamawa State. We refuse to be part of a system that thrives on injustice, impunity, and illegality,” the statement read.
The faction unanimously mandated Senator Binani to lead the next phase of their political movement, including negotiations for alignment with a new political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections. The group revealed plans for a coordinated defection structure spanning polling units, wards, local government areas, and the state to ensure a seamless transition.
They also pledged aggressive grassroots mobilisation and political reorganisation to rebuild their structure under a new party.
The development follows weeks of turmoil within the ADC in Adamawa.
Earlier reports highlighted how the party’s ward congresses on April 9 sparked controversy amid legal battles and competing claims to leadership.
A faction aligned with Binani had challenged the legitimacy of the process, accusing former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal of attempting to hijack the party structure. Elisha Ishaku Abbo also blamed both Lawal and Atiku Abubakar for deepening divisions within the party.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier said it would suspend recognition of any faction of the party pending the outcome of court rulings on its leadership crisis.
With the mass exit of key stakeholders and growing fragmentation within its ranks, the ADC now faces an uncertain future in Adamawa State.
