Mirage of a Merger: ADC’s Factional Dream and the Realities of the Electoral Act, 2026: The

By Okoi Obono-Obla 

Mirage of a Merger: ADC’s Factional Dream and the Realities of the Electoral Act, 2026:

The announcement on TVC that Senator David Mark’s faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is considering a merger with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) ahead of the 2027 general elections is, at best, a utopian dream. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already released the timetable for the elections, directing political parties to conduct their primaries between April 24 and May 30, 2026. At this stage, any serious political party should be unveiling its guidelines for primaries, not entertaining speculative mergers.

In the first place, the ADC has splintered into three irreconcilable factions, each with its own national executive committee. INEC has made clear that it will remain neutral in the raging battle for the soul of the party and, therefore, will not recognize any of the factions. Under the Electoral Act, 2026, a merger is not a casual declaration but a rigorous legal process. Section 84 stipulates that political parties intending to merge must jointly submit a formal application to INEC, signed by their national chairmen and secretaries. This application must include:
– Resolutions of the respective national executive committees approving the merger.
– Constitutions, manifestos, and symbols of the proposed new party.
– Evidence that the merging parties are recognized and registered under the law.

INEC is then required to scrutinize the documents, publish the proposed merger for public objections, and, if satisfied, issue a certificate of registration. The Act allows up to ten months for this process, given the procedural hurdles and mandatory notices. Crucially, only a unified party structure can initiate such a merger; a faction cannot, on its own, meet the statutory requirements. Even more importantly, the Act requires that a national convention of the merging party must approve the merger. With ADC fractured into three factions, the question arises: which faction could legitimately convene such a convention? The answer is clear—none.

Dreaming is part of human aspiration—indeed, all achievements spring from dreams. But some dreams are mirages, utopian visions that never materialize. The notion that a faction of the ADC, fractured and directionless, could navigate the labyrinth of the Electoral Act in the twilight of the 2027 elections is one such mirage. By the time primaries commence in April 2026, the window for mergers will have effectively closed.

Conclusion: Senator David Mark’s faction may continue to dream of a merger with the PRP, but in the hard reality of Nigeria’s electoral law, this dream will remain just that—a dream.