Atiku Abubakar criticizes INEC's removal of David Mark as ADC chairman

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has no justification for removing former Senate President David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress ADC. INEC had announced on April 1 that it would no longer recognize Mark’s leadership, citing a Court of Appeal directive to maintain the status quo ante bellum. Atiku, speaking on BBC Newsday, accused INEC of misinterpreting the law and acting outside its legal bounds by interpreting the appellate court’s interim ruling on the party’s internal affairs. He suggested the alleged bias was aimed at keeping President Bola Tinubu in power. The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP argued that INEC’s actions contradict Supreme Court rulings that internal party matters are beyond external interference. Atiku maintained that INEC’s move was a threat to Nigeria’s democratic progress and a sign of creeping authoritarianism, describing it as a "dictatorship" due to perceived government interference in the electoral and judicial processes. He also expressed concern over worsening national insecurity, questioning the government’s capacity and willingness to address the situation and suggesting possible collusion in allowing insecurity to persist to intimidate citizens. Additionally, Atiku criticized rising unemployment, stating it fuels criminal activities, and called for stronger private sector participation to create jobs. He expressed