Fresh Crisis Hits ADC as Nafiu Bala Declares Himself National Chairman, Vows Legal Battle
Opposition coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC) is currently embroiled in a leadership crisis, with Nafiu Bala declaring himself the interim National Chairman.
Bala, a former Gombe State governorship candidate, made this declaration amid accusations of mismanagement and lack of internal democracy by the current leadership led by Ralphs Okey Nwosu.
Recall that former Senate President, David Mark, was recently announced the ADC Interim National Chairman and former Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rafiu Aregbesola as National Secretary, after a meeting of the coalition members, where the party was adopted as their platform for contesting the 2027 general elections leading to the resignation of the Ralphs Okey Nwosu led exco.
In another twist, Nafiu Bala the then National Deputy Chairman of the party before its adoption by its coalition partners announced on Thursday at a press conference in Abuja declared that he had assumed the position of the ADC interim national chairman being the duly elected Deputy Chairman and citing constitutional backing for his decision.
Bala accused former party leaders of abandoning their constitutional responsibilities and handing over the party’s structures to “powerful outsiders and political hooligans” who had no ties to the ADC.
His statement read in parts; “I, Honourable Nafiu Bala, a bonafide member and a duly elected National Deputy Chairman of our great party, the African Democratic Congress wish to draw the attention of the entire members of our great party and Nigerians at large, to the ongoing acts of political hooliganism being perpetrated by some individuals who were hitherto entrusted with the leadership of the party.
“We are all living witnesses to the show of shame and acts of lawlessness being displayed by these unscrupulous leaders, who, without any qualm or sense of moral restraint, plunged our party into a needless crisis and leadership uncertainty. The idea of mortgaging the future of our great party, by abdicating the constitutional duties and responsibilities of all elected officers of the party, to some powerful outsiders who never belong to the party, is condemnable.
“This total surrender and capitulation is without any known precedent in our democratic journey to constitutional order. We are therefore strongly resolved and collectively determined to challenge this affront and ensure that the party’s laid down rules and stipulated provisions are respected and strictly adhered to by all those who belong to it.
“The constitution of our great party has made adequate provision as laid down in many clauses, articulating the succession guidelines and how even vacant positions should be constitutionally filled.
“In the circumstances and also in furtherance of my constitutional mandate as the duly elected National Deputy Chairman of our great party, I now assume my constitutional duty and responsibility as the Interim National Chairman of our great party.
“Therefore, I am hereby calling on the esteemed Independent National Electoral Commission to so urgently step in to take due cognisance of this development” Bala declared.
