ADC Crisis Deepens in Adamawa State

A factional crisis has erupted within the Adamawa State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the inauguration of a parallel caretaker committee. This development comes a day after another group of leaders established a steering committee that was initially seen as the legitimate new leadership of the party in the state.

The latest committee was inaugurated on Sunday under the supervision of the party’s Assistant National Organising Secretary and North East Zonal Organising Secretary, Umar Bello Jada. In contrast, the previous day’s event was chaired by the ADC National Vice‑Chairman for the North East, Babachir Lawal. This new wave of factionalisation, driven by national officers, marks a significant escalation from earlier disputes that involved less prominent figures.

At the heart of the power struggle is a rift between Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and former Vice President and national leader of the party, Atiku Abubakar. Abubakar’s kinsman, Jada, and Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani, a senior figure in the new parallel caretaker committee, are known staunch loyalists of Atiku. The 44‑member parallel caretaker committee, chaired by Malam Saidu Komsiri, has accused Lawal of unilateral decision‑making and abuse of authority in constituting the committee inaugurated on Saturday. A resolution read by Jada on behalf of the Zonal Working Committee of ADC stated that Lawal’s actions were taken without consultation or approval from the party’s zonal organs.

In a show of support, senior stakeholders—including Binani, Jada, Abdullahi Musa Speaker, and Senator Ahmed Barata—donated over N100 million in cash to the newly inaugurated executive as a start‑up grant. This development is likely to deepen the crisis within the party, threatening its stability and cohesion in Adamawa State. The emergence of a parallel caretaker committee underscores the growing divisions within the ADC, driven by competing interests and power struggles. As the party navigates this challenging period, it remains to be seen how the national leadership will respond and what measures will be taken to address the underlying issues fueling the factionalisation.