Party leader announces self-appointment as National Chair during intensifying ADC crisis
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is currently embroiled in an internal leadership crisis, with Nafi'u Bala, a former ADC governorship candidate in Gombe State, declaring himself the interim national chairman of the party.
Bala's claim to the chairmanship stems from his rejection of the current faction led by former Senate President David Mark, which he accuses of unlawfully taking over the party leadership and handing control to outsiders unrelated to the ADC. He contends that this takeover violates the party constitution and threatens the party’s internal democracy and ideology.
At a press conference, Bala publicly called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize and confirm him as the rightful national chairman of the ADC. He further stated that loyal party members will legally challenge the legitimacy of the David Mark-led faction. This declaration follows the dissolution of the ADC’s previous national working committee by the party founder Ralph Nwosu, who had endorsed David Mark’s interim leadership.
The ADC's internal crisis remains ongoing, with the party having been adopted as a coalition platform for the 2027 general elections by opposition politicians and several ADC leaders last month. Prominent figures in the coalition include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former PDP national chairman, Uche Secondus, among others.
However, Bala's emergence as a factional chairman has further deepened the leadership tussle within the ADC. The situation remains contested and appears unresolved, with Bala pushing for official recognition and judicial intervention.
| Aspect | Detail | |--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Identity | Former ADC governorship candidate (Gombe), ex-national deputy chairman | | Current claim | Declared self interim national chairman of ADC | | Reason for claim | Rejects David Mark-led faction’s leadership as illegal and unconstitutional | | Action taken | Held press conference, vowed legal challenge, called on INEC to recognize him | | Context | Crisis followed dissolution of previous leadership and adoption of ADC as opposition coalition platform for 2027 elections[1][2][3][4][5]
- The political landscape in Nigeria is heated, as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) grapples with an internal leadership crisis.
- The crisis stems from the rejection of the current faction led by former Senate President David Mark, who is accused of unlawfully taking over the party leadership.
- Nafi'u Bala, a former ADC governorship candidate from Gombe State, has declared himself the interim national chairman, claiming this action is in accordance with the party constitution.
- Bala has publicly called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize his claim and accused Mark's faction of threatening the party’s internal democracy and ideology.
- This unsettled situation could significantly impact the ADC's strategy for the 2027 general elections, as the party has been adopted as a coalition platform by various opposition politicians and leaders.
- Notably, these politicians include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark himself, and Uche Secondus, among others.
- The ongoing leadership tussle within the ADC, now further complicated by Bala's emergence as a factional chairman, may pose a challenge to maintaining unity and cohesion within the coalition.
- As the political climate in Nigeria continues to evolve, the resolution of the ADC's internal crisis and the impact it may have on the party's positioning in policy-and-legislation, general-news, and crime-and-justice remain important factors to watch.