ADC May Not Produce Candidate In 2027 Polls – Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has warned that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could be shut out of the 2027 general elections unless its rival factions urgently resolve a leadership dispute now before the courts.

In a statement on X yesterday, Keyamo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, said the David Mark–aligned faction is “using emotional reasoning and blackmail to bluff their way out of a purely legal conundrum they brought upon themselves.”

He argued that “law does not admit of sentiment” and that appeals to the status quo ante bellum amount to “chasing shadows.”

The ADC’s crisis deepened after INEC declined to recognise either camp, a move Keyamo called “timely”.

With a duly elected deputy national chairman challenging the party’s takeover in court, he cautioned that all actions by both factions may become nugatory after INEC’s nomination window closes.

“All those who are arguing about ‘status quo ante bellum’ are dispensing their time and energy chasing shadows and not the substance. This is because whether INEC recognises either faction for now is irrelevant: what is relevant is that there is a challenge regarding the take-over of the Party pending in court by a duly elected Deputy National Chairman. As long as that case remains in court, all the actions of either faction may end up being nugatory after the deadline for nominations of candidates by INEC. The implication is that the ADC may end up having no candidate for the election. “

Rather than vilifying INEC, Keyamo said the ADC should thank the commission for flagging the danger early, giving the party an opening to find a risk-free platform, seek accelerated hearing, or settle the leadership row politically.

“To keep blaming imaginary opponents or INEC is purely mischievous,” he added, noting that neither APC nor INEC prodded the “grown adults” to “hijack an existing platform without sound legal advice.”

Dismissing the faction’s vow to proceed with congresses despite INEC’s stance and a Court of Appeal ruling, Keyamo concluded: “That is fine by us. Never interrupt your opponent when he is making a mistake.”