The internal crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a fresh turn, as factional national chairman, Nafiu Bala, confirmed his presence at the controversial July 2025 unveiling of the party’s interim leadership led by Senator David Mark, while insisting the process was imposed and unconstitutional.
The development comes amid ongoing leadership disputes within the party, which have triggered legal battles and prompted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw recognition from both rival factions, citing a March 12 Court of Appeal judgment.
Viral videos recently circulated online had shown Bala seated among party stakeholders at the unveiling ceremony held on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, raising questions about his role in the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
Confirming his attendance in a statement on Tuesday, Bala maintained that the gathering was never intended to install new party leaders, but rather to formalise the ADC as a coalition platform.
“I was present at the meeting and can attest that the gathering was not intended for the unveiling of Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders,” he said.
According to Bala, the event took an unexpected turn when the then National Chairman, Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, announced his resignation and immediately named Senator David Mark as Acting National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
“In a shocking move, he announced his resignation as National Chairman, proceeded to issue a membership card to Sen. David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, and declared them Acting National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively,” Bala stated.
He described the action as a breach of the party’s constitution, arguing that due process was ignored.
“Nwosu’s actions were in clear contravention of Articles 8(2) and 9(4) of the ADC Constitution (2022, as amended),” he said, adding that the constitution does not empower an outgoing chairman to appoint successors.
Bala further stressed that his presence at the meeting did not amount to endorsement of the leadership arrangement.
“My attendance at the meeting and previous engagements with coalition partners from April 2024 to July 2025 do not imply endorsement of the irregular appointments,” he said.
“There was no formal vote or consensus on the appointments, and several National Working Committee members, including myself, were taken aback by the developments.”
He also revealed that the then National Secretary, Sa’id Baba Abdullahi, resigned shortly after the announcement under what he described as unclear circumstances.
“None of the NWC members were privy to the situation, and neither Nwosu nor Abdullahi had discussed the matter with us prior to the meeting,” Bala added.
The ADC has remained engulfed in leadership turmoil since the July 2025 transition, with both Bala’s faction and the Mark-led group laying claim to the party’s structure.
The controversy continues to raise concerns over the party’s stability and its readiness ahead of the 2027 general elections, as stakeholders call for resolution of the crisis.
