- Safiu Kehinde
Kogi State lawmaker, Leke Abejide, has finally dumped the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing what he described as the party’s hijack by coalition leaders.
This is coming barely two days after the Supreme Court’s judgement which dismissed the status quo antebellum ruling of the Appeal Court.
While the apex court had ordered the return of the case the trial court, the dismissal of the status quo antebellum had enabled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to return the names of the David Mark-led factional National Working Committee of the party as the ADC leaders on its portal.
The development would on Friday prompt Abejide, who pitched his tent with the Nafiu Gombe-led faction of the party and had over time challenged the Mark leadership of the party, to finally withdraw his membership.
In a statement issued on Friday in Lokoja, the lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives said the party had been overtaken by vested interests.
He accused Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and Ralph Nwosu of hijacking the platform.
Abejide said he joined the party in 2019 and invested personal resources in strengthening its structures.
He described his resignation as “painful but necessary” to safeguard his political future.
According to him, the party had been infiltrated, destabilised and stripped of its constitutional foundations.
Abejide disclosed he instituted legal action in 2025 against the coalition leaders over the leadership dispute.
He said although the court granted accelerated hearing, the defendants allegedly delayed proceedings until electoral timelines were released.
He said: “My counsel later advised me to seek another platform.
“The ADC was structurally compromised and lacked recognised leadership required for INEC compliance.”
Abejide alleged the coalition had no genuine intention of strengthening the party.
“Their mission was to undermine loyal members like myself,” he said.
He dismissed reports of his expulsion in April, insisting he had resigned earlier under the party’s constitution.
Abejide also clarified remarks by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, describing them as light-hearted and misunderstood.
He said consultations had led him to pursue his political future on “a more stable and progressive platform.”
Abejide said the platform aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.