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The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a new turn, as rival factions intensify their struggle for control of the party by formally engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the centre of the dispute is a faction led by Nafiu Bala, which is seeking to assume leadership of the party. Bala has approached INEC with a request to withdraw recognition from former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who currently occupy the positions of National Chairman and National Secretary respectively.
The development follows a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal, which dismissed an appeal filed by David Mark challenging an earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The appeal, according to the court, was procedurally incompetent, as it was filed without obtaining the necessary leave required for interlocutory matters.
In its judgment, the appellate court directed all parties involved in the dispute to maintain the status quo ante bellum—a legal principle requiring that the situation remains as it was before the conflict—pending the determination of the substantive suit at the Federal High Court.
Despite this directive, Bala has continued to assert his claim to the party’s leadership. A former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, he maintains that he should have automatically succeeded as National Chairman following the resignation of the party’s former leader, Ralph Nwosu.
Through his counsel, Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), Bala wrote to INEC, urging the commission to interpret and enforce the court’s ruling by discontinuing recognition of Mark and Aregbesola. In the letter, Bala’s legal team emphasized that the court’s order not only mandates the preservation of the status quo but also restrains all parties from taking any action that could undermine the authority of the court or render the ongoing proceedings ineffective.
However, this position has been strongly contested. Another legal practitioner, Dr. Sulaimon Usman (SAN), has also written to INEC, advising the commission to disregard Bala’s request entirely. Usman argued that it would be inappropriate for INEC to recognise any new leadership while the case remains unresolved in court.
He further pointed out that the ADC currently operates under a leadership structure that emerged from a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025, which was monitored by INEC. According to him, this structure remains the legally recognised leadership of the party until a final judicial pronouncement is made.
Amid the legal tussle, the situation has taken on a political dimension, with allegations emerging from within the ADC. A party chieftain, identified as Abdullahi, claimed that certain elements within the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are allegedly exerting pressure on INEC to deregister the party.
According to these claims, the alleged objective is to weaken opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections by preventing the ADC from fielding a presidential candidate. The allegation further suggested that opposition figures could be strategically confined within the ADC, only for the party to be deregistered at a critical moment.
The APC has, however, firmly rejected these accusations. Its National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, described the claims as unfounded and irresponsible, insisting that neither the Presidency nor the ruling party has any involvement in the ADC’s internal crisis.
Basiru maintained that the dispute is purely an internal matter within the ADC and should be resolved through lawful means. He stressed that the Court of Appeal’s directive to maintain the status quo remains binding on all parties and must be respected.
He further warned that INEC, as an independent electoral body, cannot be manipulated or pressured into acting contrary to a valid court order. According to him, any party dissatisfied with the appellate court’s ruling has the option of approaching the Supreme Court, rather than resorting to public allegations.
Basiru concluded by reiterating that the APC is focused on its own political activities and has no interest in interfering in the affairs of another party. He emphasized that adherence to the rule of law remains essential in resolving the dispute.
As the legal battle continues, the ADC remains embroiled in uncertainty, with its leadership question unresolved and tensions within the party showing no signs of easing.
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