By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Cross River States chapter of the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, sinks deeper in a leadership crisis, with the party’s state Vice Chairman, Central and Director of Policy and Strategy, Dr. MacFarlane Ejah, warning that the party risks collapse in the 2027 general elections if urgent steps are not taken to restore constitutional order.
In a media briefing with journalists at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre on Tuesday in Calabar, MacFalane said, “We will not allow the ADC to become a ‘judicial casualty’ in 2027.”
Setting the tone for a scathing indictment of the party’s national leadership, he alleged that the current leadership structure at the national level emerged through an unconstitutional process.
MacFarlane stated that any political gains made under such an arrangement could ultimately be nullified by the courts, adding that “at stake is the very survival of our party in 2027.”
He added further, “If we allow illegality to persist, even victories at the polls will be meaningless, because they can be overturned.”
The crisis is traced to a controversial meeting held on July 29, 2025, at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, where the party’s National Executive Committee was allegedly dissolved and replaced with an interim leadership.
Ejah described this move as “alien to the ADC’s 2018 Constitution.”
The constitution clearly stipulates that party officers at all levels must emerge through congresses, with no provision for caretaker or interim arrangements.
He said, “There is no emergency clause that allows anyone to appoint themselves as leaders. What happened was a clear breach of both the party constitution and the Electoral Act.”
He has, however, formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, invoking Section 83(2) of the 2026 Electoral Act.
He continued, “We have given INEC a seven-day ultimatum to act. If they fail to do so, we will proceed to the High Court to enforce compliance with the law.”
The ADC chieftain dismissed claims that the dispute amounts to factionalism within the party, insisting that it is a clear case of illegality.l, adding, “You cannot violate the constitution of a party and then claim legitimacy. There are no factions here, only a deviation from due process.”
He concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Cross River State chapter to uphold internal democracy and ensure that all party processes are conducted in line with constitutional provisions.
