ADC insists no internal crisis, blames INEC, APC for party turmoil

Michael Olumide

Leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a dramatic turn, with the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, alleging that embattled party figure Nafiu Bala aligned with external political interests after receiving inducements the party could not match.

Abdullahi made the claims during an interview on a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, insisting that the controversy surrounding Bala was not rooted in internal disagreements but in external interference aimed at destabilising the party.

“We made efforts to pacify him, we approached him, we tried to find something for him to do within the party, but at that point he had already approached people within government who were willing to use him, and we could not match what they were offering him,” Abdullahi said.

He further questioned Bala’s sudden display of wealth, citing the acquisition of luxury assets and heightened security presence as evidence of alleged political backing.

The ADC crisis intensified in early April following a series of conflicting developments involving Bala, who publicly disowned a resignation letter attributed to him, describing it as a forgery.

The situation was further complicated by a Court of Appeal ruling, which led the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-list a rival National Working Committee reportedly led by David Mark.

Bala, who claims to be the rightful acting chairman of the party by virtue of being its highest-ranking original officer, has continued to push for recognition, even as his supporters staged protests at INEC headquarters.

However, Abdullahi dismissed Bala’s claim outright, stating that he was never chairman but merely one of several deputy national chairmen.

“At what point was Nafiu Bala ever the chairman of ADC? The answer is no,” he said, adding that Bala had previously resigned along with other members of the executive.

ADC Accuses INEC of Overreach
A major plank of Abdullahi’s argument centred on the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he accused of exceeding its constitutional authority.

According to him, political parties are voluntary associations whose internal affairs should not be dictated by external bodies.

“INEC does not have the power to remove the leadership of a political party. Its role is supervisory, not administrative,” Abdullahi argued.

He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of using INEC to engineer confusion within opposition parties.

“There was no confusion in ADC except that which has been engineered,” he said.
Court Ruling Sparks Legal Dispute
At the centre of the crisis is the Court of Appeal directive to maintain “status quo ante bellum,” which Abdullahi claimed had been misinterpreted.

He explained that the ruling referred to maintaining the party’s condition before the conflict, when the leadership structure under David Mark had already been established and recognised.

“How maintaining the status quo translates into removing an existing leadership is both dishonest and self-serving,” he stated.

On Bala’s insistence that his resignation was forged, Abdullahi challenged him to provide proof of any formal complaint to law enforcement authorities.

He described the forgery claim as lacking credibility, noting that no police report had been filed despite the seriousness of the allegation.

“There is ample evidence that he resigned, including linguistic patterns consistent with his previous communications,” Abdullahi added.

Abdullahi also dismissed claims that earlier warnings about the crisis were ignored, questioning the credibility of individuals such as Leke Abejide and Dumebi Kachikwu, whom he said had been expelled from the party before the current leadership.

“These are distractions,” he said, alleging that critics were being used to push a broader political agenda.

In a more sweeping claim, Abdullahi warned of a coordinated effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the ultimate goal is to limit electoral competition and create a one-candidate scenario.

“This is not accidental; it is coordinated and dangerous for Nigeria’s democracy,” he warned.

Despite the crisis, Abdullahi affirmed that the ADC would go ahead with its planned national convention, insisting that all legal requirements had been met, including notifying INEC within the stipulated timeframe.

“There is nothing unlawful about proceeding with our convention, and we will not allow illegal directives to derail our activities,” he said.

While acknowledging calls from Nigerians for unity within the party, Abdullahi stressed that the crisis extends beyond ADC and touches on the broader health of Nigeria’s democracy.

“What is at stake is not just ADC, but Nigeria’s democracy itself,” he said, expressing confidence in the judiciary to resolve the dispute.

He also criticised the federal government’s handling of national security and governance issues, accusing it of focusing on weakening opposition rather than addressing pressing challenges.

As the dispute deepens, the ADC crisis is shaping up to be a significant test of party autonomy, electoral integrity, and democratic resilience in Nigeria.

With legal battles ongoing and political tensions rising, all eyes remain on how institutions, parties, and key actors will navigate the unfolding controversy ahead of the 2027 elections.