ADC convention on the brink as Abuja venue crisis deepens

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — With less than 24 hours to its national convention, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was still without a venue in Abuja, throwing a major opposition gathering into uncertainty at a critical moment for the party.

The last-minute scramble reflects mounting pressure on the ADC, from stalled approvals and failed venue talks to a deepening internal crisis, as it prepares for a convention expected to shape its leadership and role in a broader opposition coalition ahead of 2027.

The development was disclosed by Kola Ologbondiyan, media aide to Senator David Mark, the embattled National Chairman of the ADC.

“24 hours to the ADC National Convention, the Nigerians-aligned political party is yet to be issued a venue,” Ologbondiyan said.

According to him, the party formally approached the office of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, seeking approval to use Eagle Square, but has received no response despite an acknowledgement.

“A letter was presented to the Office of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, for a permit to use the Eagles Square. The letter was acknowledged but no response,” he added.

He said the party also explored using facilities at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, including the Velodrome, but those efforts failed.

“The ADC team paid several visits to the Ministry of Sports officials at the MKO Stadium. At the end, ADC was refused the use of the Velodrome,” Ologbondiyan stated.

Beyond public facilities, he said privately owned event centres have also declined to host the convention, citing fears of possible repercussions.

“To make matters worse, privately owned Event Centres in Abuja are turning down the ADC requests for fears of harassment in various forms from the government,” he said.

Despite the setbacks, the ADC insisted the convention will go ahead as planned, pointing to its formal notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“All ADC members, teeming party supporters and indeed all Nigerians are assured that, as contained in the Notice issued to INEC, the ADC National Convention will hold in Abuja as scheduled on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026,” he said.

The convention is expected to draw thousands of delegates and is a key step in the party’s effort to strengthen its structure and consolidate alliances ahead of the next general election cycle.

It is, however, unfolding against a backdrop of a protracted leadership crisis, with rival factions laying claim to the party and the electoral body yet to recognise a unified structure.

While the Mark-led faction is pushing ahead with the convention, a rival bloc aligned with Dumebi Kachikwu has rejected the process and is charting a separate course, deepening uncertainty over the party’s cohesion.