The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has released a comprehensive timetable and guidelines for the conduct of its congresses and national convention for the 2025/2026 political year, in a move aimed at strengthening internal democracy and repositioning the party ahead of future elections.
The timetable was contained in a circular issued by the party’s National Secretariat on December 30, 2025, and signed by the ADC National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
According to the circular, the party’s activities will begin with a Board of Trustees meeting on January 5, 2026, followed by a National Executive Committee meeting on January 7, 2026.
key issues listed on the agenda of the NEC meeting include the filling of vacancies in the National Working Committee, fixing dates for membership registration and revalidation, as well as preparations for ward, local government and state congresses.
The party announced that membership registration and revalidation would run from January 2 to January 15, 2026.
Gombe said, “For 2026, the ADC announced that membership registration and revalidation will take place from January 2 to January 15. This will be followed by ward executive committee congresses on January 17, with matters arising to be addressed between January 19 and 22.”
The circular further outlined the sequence of congresses across the country.
“Local government congresses are scheduled for January 24, while state executive committee congresses will be held on January 31, 2026. Matters arising will be treated from February 2 to 5, 2026,” the party stated.
The ADC also fixed the date for its National Working Committee Convention for February 13 to 15, 2026, bringing the congress cycle to a close.
The party provided a detailed list of approved delegates eligible to participate in the state congresses, as provided for in Article 24 of the ADC Constitution, with modifications approved by the NWC.
These include local government chairmen and secretaries; youth and women leaders; state executive committee members; NEC members from the state; persons with disabilities leaders; ex officio members; elected council chairmen and deputies; Board of Trustees members; zonal national officers; elected National and State Assembly members; and legal advisers.
Guidelines For State Congress Planning
State chapters were directed to constitute Congress Planning Committees, with the party stressing that individuals contesting for any state executive office must not be members of such committees.
“All persons willing to contest for state offices shall register their intentions with the State Congress Committee with an intention fee of ₦2,000, which the committee may utilise in part for financing the congresses,” the circular read.
The State Executive Committees were also mandated to supervise the planning committees to ensure strict compliance with the guidelines.
On zoning, the party said the composition of state executive committees should, as much as practicable, reflect senatorial zones, in line with the ADC Constitution.
The party explained that the senatorial zone with the highest number of members would produce six key positions, including chairman and women’s leader, while the second-highest zone would produce five positions, including vice chairman and treasurer.
The ADC further outlined eligibility requirements for aspirants seeking state executive offices.
Gombe said, “The criteria for qualification to contest for executive positions include, at least, attendance of secondary school. The offices of state legal adviser, treasurer and financial secretary should have experience in their respective professions.”
He added that the state youth leader must not be more than 25 years old, while the state women leader position is exclusively reserved for women.
The party directed that all pre-congress appeals must be resolved not later than 24 hours before the congresses, while appeals arising from the congresses must be concluded within three days.
State congress committees were also mandated to submit reports to the National Secretariat within five working days via the designated official email.
The ADC stressed that only validly registered or revalidated members whose names appear in the official membership register would be allowed to participate in the congresses.
State chapters were equally instructed to formally notify the National Secretariat of the dates, venues and times of their congresses to enable proper communication with the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The party urged all members and state chapters to strictly adhere to the guidelines, noting that compliance would ensure transparent, credible and orderly congresses nationwide.
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