The faction of the African Democratic Congress loyal to David Mark has elected Emmanuel Famojuro as the party’s chairman in Ogun State, further highlighting internal divisions within the party.
Famojuro and other members of the state executive were chosen during a congress held on Saturday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta. The process was conducted through affirmation, following the presentation of a harmonised list agreed upon by party leaders.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the congress committee, Olatunji Soyinka, explained that the list reflected consensus among stakeholders across the party.
He formally announced the outcome, stating: “By the power conferred on me, I have accepted, based on the list submitted to our committee, that the new state chairman will be Mr. Emmanuel Famojuro,” Soyinka said.
In his acceptance speech, Famojuro appealed for unity among party members and promised to deliver purposeful leadership aimed at strengthening the party’s structure and influence in the state.
“We must work as one family. Youths and women are the backbone of our party,” he said, emphasising the importance of inclusiveness and grassroots mobilisation.
He also urged senior party figures to provide guidance and support, noting that their experience would be crucial to the party’s growth and stability.
Also speaking, the party’s Deputy National Financial Secretary, Oladimeji Fabiyi, commended the congress committee for fostering unity and urged the newly elected leaders to prioritise loyalty to the party above personal interests.
He criticised the outgoing leadership, saying: “The outgoing leadership has not done so well for ADC in the state. They have turned the party into a transactional party, where they go about negotiating. In fact, their leadership has sent so many quality aspirants away from running because they didn’t see any hope; they are not inspired,” he said.
However, the development has been rejected by a rival faction led by Femi Soluade, which dismissed the congress as invalid and claimed to have conducted its own parallel process.
Soluade insisted that he remains the legitimate state chairman, alongside his executive team, and criticised the opposing group’s exercise.
“It was a kangaru election. I have emerged as the Bonafide State Chairman of ADC, done today at the State Secretariat, duly conducted by Chairman Rasheed Salvador.
“We were duly screened on the 9th of April but jesters were never screened on the 9th April by the national body.
“All Executives of my cabinet were duly affirmed by consensus and duly sworn in,” he said.
The conflicting claims underscore ongoing factional disputes within the ADC in Ogun State, raising questions about party unity ahead of future political engagements.
