The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief David Mark, has alleged attempts by President Bola Tinubu to subject the legislature and the judiciary to the whims of the executive arm of government.
Mark stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, while delivering his opening address during the meeting of the ADC’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Stating that the legislative and judicial arms have suffered considerable erosion of their independence, Mark accused Tinubu of “subtle” and “crude” interference with the two arms.
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He said, “As a former president of the Senate, I am alarmed by attempts, subtle and crude, to bend the legislature and judiciary to the will of the executive.”
The chairman promised that if elected in 2027, his party will defend the separation of powers, restore legislative and judicial independence, and strengthen oversight so that budgets serve the public interest, not private appetites.
“We will end the culture of parallel budgets and extra-budgetary manoeuvres by enforcing strict and transparent planning, timely appropriations, and rigorous auditing.
“The judiciary must again be a refuge for every citizen. We will back an independent, efficient, and trusted bench – appointments on merit, transparent case management, time-bound rulings, and a bias for justice over empty technicalities,” he added.
Mark noted that Nigerians are tired of slogans and “statistics that do not translate into their welfare and their basic needs for food, power, jobs, and safety.
Continuing with emphasis, Mark said, “We will focus on what works. We will pursue price stability and productivity through credible, rules-based coordination of fiscal and monetary policy.
“We will deliver a reliable power supply by expanding power generation, fixing transmission bottlenecks, and rewarding distribution performance.
“We will secure our food supply by supporting farmers and agricultural value chains from inputs and storage to processing and markets.
“We will back small businesses and industry with affordable, performance-tied credit and local content that creates jobs, not rent. And we will shine a bright light on every naira—no parallel budgets, no black-box spending, no sacred cows.”
The party chairman asked that if elected, the ADC should be judged by what Nigerians feel in their daily lives, rhetoric and bland statistics: lower volatility, more reliable power, visible projects, and decent work.
The party promised an Afro-centric foreign policy, rooted in regional integration and international peace.
“We will champion trade within Africa, harmonise standards that open markets for Nigerian goods and services, leverage diaspora capital, and build coalitions that keep our sub-region stable and prosperous,” he said.
The chairman sounded tough on party supremacy and discipline within the ADC, listing character, competence, courage, and discipline as the operative words.
“These four pillars will guide our choices, shape our culture, and anchor our performance. This National Working Committee has urgent tasks. We must review our constitution to reflect the new order and develop a code of ethics, financing rules, and compliance systems.
“We must establish functional ward, local government, and state structures with trained organisers, digital registers, and service desks. We will build a leadership pipeline through a merit-based academy policy, ethics, communications, and delivery.
“We will receive reports from the secretariat and zones and prepare for regular and off-cycle elections well in advance. And we will field only credible and viable candidates who meet the 4-pillar standard – character, competence, courage, and discipline.
“Nigeria and Nigerians will accept nothing less. The political class has too often served itself. We must change this outdated pattern. We must model a new attitude to leadership across every sphere – public, private, and civic.
“Let it be said of the ADC that we kept faith with the people, that we were steady under pressure, honest in our dealings, and relentless in delivery. We do not seek power for its own sake; we seek it to build a legacy worthy of our children.
“A new tomorrow is achievable if we start the work today. Let the work begin now.”
The party leader expressed the conviction that Nigeria can, and will, work for everyone – and with a commitment to build a party bigger than any personality, stronger than any moment and positively different from any party in the annals of the country.
Stating the determination of the ADC leadership, Mark said, “We have set aside narrow interests for the common good. The road will be uphill. Sacrifice will be demanded. Those threatened by democracy will resist it. Still, we advance calmly, courageously, together as a formidable team.
“What makes the ADC different is simple: we will be a party of purpose and determination, not impulses – an institution that champions democratic values and a culture of accountability and responsibility across its organs and in every government it forms.
“Our mission is not only to attain power in 2027; it is also to leave a legacy which the future generations will be proud to inherit. We are in a marathon we must complete – and win. Failure is not an option.”