- Safiu Kehinde
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has again found self in a looming leadership crisis as Nafiu Bala, the party’s deputy national chairman, formally assumed the role of national chairman on Wednesday.
Since the party’s adoption by the National Opposition Coalition Group (NOCG), the party had been plunged into crisis as some factional members led by the party’s 2023 Presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, rejected the new leadership of the party.
Recall that former Nigerian lawmaker, Sen. David Mark, and former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had both emerged as the party’s interim National Chairman and National Secretary respectively.
While Dumebi’s agitations tend to have had largely unnoticeable impact on the new coalition party’s activities, Nafiu Bala’s declaration of self as the party’s National Chairman has stirred a new wave of crisis within the party.
Addressing journalists at the ADC national secretariat in Abuja, Bala declared himself the “authentic” National Chairman, citing the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
“I have resumed office as the National Chairman of the ADC in line with the party’s constitution, which clearly states that the Deputy National Chairman takes over in the event of the National Chairman’s resignation,” Bala said.
In what he described as an unconstitutional attempt to hijack the party, Bala rejected the appointment of David Mark as Interim National Chairman.
He accused the coalition of undermining the ADC’s internal democracy while noting that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who had spearheaded the coalition, is not a member of the party.
“Atiku Abubakar is not a member of the ADC, and I have never held any discussions with him regarding the party’s affairs,” he stated.
Bala further dismissed claims of his alleged expulsion by a Gombe State faction as “invalid, unlawful, and illegal.”
Meanwhile, his self-declaration as the party’s Natonal Chairman was endorsed by the North-East caucus of the ADC.
The caucus in a statement issued after a stakeholders’ meeting in Bauchi, maintained that the resignation of Ralph Nwosu as the party’s leader paved way for assumption as the new leader.
“We fully support Nafiu Bala as the acting national chairman following the voluntary resignation of Ralph Nwosu,” the caucus declared, urging coalition leaders to register as ADC members and respect the party’s constitution.