Former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its decision to remove David Mark as chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the move as a misinterpretation of the law.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, March Melaye, a chieftain of the ADC, accused the electoral body of deliberately undermining the party’s internal processes.
“It’s explicit, it’s clear but for them to give it a ‘Jankara’ interpretation and to suit their own purpose, knowing fully well that registration is ongoing, congresses are ongoing and you want to leave us without a leader so that we would not we able to conduct all our congresses and even run primaries for us to produce people who will contest the election.
“They are joking; this country belongs to us. We will pursue it legally and also use all rights within the framework of law,” he said. Melaye disclosed that the party had already initiated legal action against INEC and was preparing to escalate the matter further.
“And as I speak to you, we are even going to criminalise the activities of the officials of INEC because what they have done is criminal and we are going to face it from a criminal perspective in court because it’s complete disobedience of the court order,” he added.
He also accused the commission of bias, alleging that it had taken sides in the dispute. “INEC as an institution has failed Nigerians and taken sides with a letter written by a man who is no longer a part of the party, who voluntarily resigned on May 17.
“The country belongs to all of us, the government is not owned by those in government, it’s owned by the people, and we will prove that the people own the government and Nigeria belongs to all of us, and that ADC will participate in this election and defeat Tinubu come May 29,” he said.
INEC had earlier announced that it would cease recognising correspondences from both factions of the ADC following a review of a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on March 12.
In a statement signed by its chairman of Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Kudu, the commission said it would no longer engage with either the faction led by David Mark or that associated with Rafiu Bala, nor monitor their meetings, congresses or conventions until the matter is resolved at the Federal High Court.
The commission also confirmed it would remove Mark’s name from its official portal. The dispute stems from a leadership tussle within the ADC, with Bala, a former vice chairman of the party, challenging the emergence of Mark and other members of the party’s National Working Committee in court.
The crisis followed the resignation of the Ralph Nwosu-led National Working Committee in July 2025, after which Mark emerged as interim national chairman alongside former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
However, Bala has argued that he should have automatically assumed the chairmanship following Nwosu’s resignation, leading to the ongoing legal battle over the party’s leadership.