The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) has urged the faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President, David Mark, to engage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in resolving the party’s lingering crisis.

Executive Director of PAACA, Ezenwa Nwagwu, in a statement, cautioned against attempts to portray INEC as biased, warning that such a narrative could erode public confidence in democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Nwagwu attributed the crisis within the ADC to the failure of its internal dispute resolution mechanisms, noting that the inability to manage disagreements administratively had unnecessarily escalated tensions.

According to him, the party could have avoided the current legal and public controversy if it had addressed its grievances through established internal channels.

Drawing parallels with past disputes in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nwagwu noted that similar issues were resolved through administrative engagement with INEC rather than public confrontation.

There is no need for the ADC’s grandstanding. This is a matter that could have been settled administratively. The ADC leadership could have approached INEC for the resolution of grey areas, while also initiating mediation within its ranks.

“When the PDP had similar issues, they approached INEC and the matters were resolved. However, there is no evidence that the ADC leadership, led by David Mark, has met with INEC to resolve this matter.”

Nwagwu called on the ADC leadership to prioritise institutional engagement over public confrontation, stressing that the issues in contention could still be addressed through established administrative channels.

While noting that opposition parties often deploy strategies to attract public sympathy, Nwagwu however cautioned that any party seeking power must put in the hard work, demonstrate due diligence, internal discipline, and respect for due process.

“Opposition status is not a shield against scrutiny. Parties seeking power must demonstrate that they can manage their own affairs in line with due process. That means investing in internal governance, resolving disputes transparently, and engaging institutions constructively,” he said.

The PAACA boss said the development highlights the need for political parties to strengthen internal governance and adhere strictly to procedural frameworks in managing disputes.

“Time and again, we have observed that many political parties in Nigeria do not have robust mechanisms to resolve internal conflicts,” he said.

On INEC, Nwagwu said the situation has placed the electoral body in a delicate position that requires careful handling, particularly in terms of public communication and maintaining institutional neutrality.

He said, “For INEC, it is a tricky situation. INEC has a legal department, and the Commission is currently headed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. When you have too many legal experts in the room, the challenge is that you may be dealing with a crisis of legal interpretation.”