ADC National Committee Voids Parallel Katsina Congress Amid Growing Internal Leadership Disputes

ADC Chairman Atiku Abubakar-Saleh declares the Katsina parallel congress illegal, confirming official party elections begin Wednesday under court clearance.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 11:04 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Post Nigeria

A Decisive Rejection of Unauthorized Party Assemblies

The Katsina State Congress Committee of the African Democratic Congress has officially moved to invalidate a parallel congress conducted by a splinter faction within the party. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Committee Chairman Atiku Abubakar-Saleh declared that any assembly held outside the explicit authorization of the National Working Committee is illegal. This internal rift surfaced after a group of party members attempted to bypass established protocols, prompting a swift rebuttal from the recognized leadership to maintain the integrity of the party’s administrative structures.

Establishing the Legal Framework for State Elections

According to Abubakar-Saleh, the committee he leads holds the sole mandate from the party’s national headquarters to facilitate transparent and credible elections in Katsina. He clarified that the current roadmap for these congresses is firmly rooted in a recent judicial verdict which provided the legal clearance necessary for the exercise to move forward. By citing this court judgment, the committee aims to distinguish its sanctioned activities from the "null and void" actions of those attempting to undermine the party's official democratic timeline.

The Strategic Implementation of Oversight Committees

To ensure total compliance with the party constitution, the National Working Committee has authorized the formation of specialized bodies to manage the election cycle. This includes a high level screening committee under the leadership of Dr. Sulaiman Maiyawo, which is tasked with vetting participants and maintaining due process. Abubakar-Saleh emphasized that these committees are the only entities with the legal standing to oversee the transition of power within the Katsina branch, framing any other involvement as an attempt to destabilize party unity.