There was a heavy deployment of security personnel at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Thursday, as tensions escalated over the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

All entry and exit points to the commission’s Maitama office were effectively sealed off, with operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps visibly stationed around the परिसर, restricting movement.

The heightened security presence is believed to be linked to INEC’s controversial decision to remove the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC from its official portal.

The move has reportedly triggered outrage within the party, with aggrieved members accusing the electoral body of bias and planning a response. Sources also indicated that members of the ADC, alongside supporters of the Obidient Movement, were considering a protest at the commission’s headquarters, prompting the security clampdown.

Amid the unfolding crisis, INEC reaffirmed its stance, maintaining that it would no longer recognise the affected officials. The commission also declined to acknowledge Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to assume leadership of the party through legal means.

Furthermore, INEC announced that it would not monitor any conventions or congresses organised by factions linked to the delisted officials until the matter is resolved in court.

Speaking on the development, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, reiterated the commission’s commitment to neutrality. He urged political stakeholders to avoid actions capable of disrupting preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The crisis, rooted in conflicting interpretations of a Court of Appeal ruling, has deepened internal divisions within the ADC. INEC confirmed it had received multiple legal correspondences from opposing factions, each seeking enforcement of court decisions on the party’s leadership.

Reacting, the ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, rejected INEC’s position, accusing the commission of acting under external pressure to weaken opposition parties.

The party described the electoral body’s actions as inconsistent and vowed to clarify its position publicly while deciding on its next course of action.