The Benue State chapter of theAfrican Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday said the emergence of the party’s Caretaker Committee led by former Senate President, Senator David Mark was not only flawed, but indeed a gross violation of section 82(1) of the 2026 Electoral Act.

The section of the Electoral Act, according to the party, provides a mandatory 21-day notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the meeting that gave birth to the Caretaker Committee, which he maintained was equally aware of the failure of the then leadership of the party to give INEC 21 days notice before the meeting.

Benue State Chairman of the ADC, Hon. Elias Adikwu, who disclosed this at a news conference in Makurdi, said the violation of section 8(1) rendered the meeting that produced Senator Mark and Rauf Aregbesola invalid.

“In addition, the then leadership of the party only submitted notice of the NEC meeting on July 29, 2025, which ratified decisions already made by the NWC, but did not notify INEC of the original NWC meeting where the caretaker committee was constituted.

“What this means is that the NEC’s ratification on July 29, 2025, did not constitute the original appointment of the caretaker committee meaning the committee was formed outside the NEC’s authority and lacked proper notification to INEC”.

Hon. Elias Adikwu said the party has outlined the procedure on how ad-hoc committee can be raised both at the ward, local government, state and national levels citing Article 14(9) B(ii), stressing that contrary to the constitutional provisions, the Senator David Mark led National Working Committee (NWC) went ahead and established Membership Registration, Mobilization and Revalidation (MRMR) and Leadership Teams at the State, Ward and Polling Unit levels, which comprised individuals who, in many cases, were not card carrying members of the party, and have neither resigned from their previous parties nor fulfilled the conditions for membership under Article 8, and entrusted them with issuance of new party membership cards and party registers not only undermines the authority of the SEC and SWC but also violated the requirement that membership registration takes place at the ward level.

He declared what he called the purported MRMR and leadership committees at the state, local government and ward levels as illegal, unconstitutional and null and void, stressing that

“They have no authority to conduct day-to-day administration of the party affairs, admit new members nor revalidate existing members on behalf of the ADC.

Any new party membership card issued under the authority of MRMR or Leadership teams is invalid”.

“The ADC Constitution does not recognise leadership teams, and the NEC is not empowered to confer on a select group of individuals special status or authority outside the existing statutory organs of the party.

“The SWC and SEC of Benue State distance themselves entirely from these committees and caution Party faithful that any person dealing with the MRMR and Leadership committees does so at his or her own risk”.

The ADC state chairman saluted the Appeal Court ruling on ADC leadership suit and INEC’s directives on party congresses and convention, stressing that it “will not participate in the purported convention pending further directives from both INEC and NEC which shall be constituted in due time.

The party’s leaders affirm the suspension of some of its members including Senator Emmanuel Yisa Orker Jev, Hon. Terngu Tsegba, Hon. Samson Okwu, Barr. Herman Hembe and Barr. Alex Ter Adum for violating the ADC constitution, and vowed to remain resolute in upholding the constitution of the party.