A former governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Gombe State, Nafi’u Bala, has declared himself the national chairman of the party, sparking fresh controversy within the opposition bloc.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday night in Abuja, Bala accused the David Mark-led leadership of unlawfully seizing control of the party and surrendering it to outsiders under the guise of forming an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Hobnob News, Bala described the move as “political hooliganism” and a clear violation of the ADC constitution.
“The plan to hand over our party’s future to powerful outsiders who were never part of us, while ignoring the duties of elected party leaders, is completely wrong and unacceptable,” Bala said.
He announced that genuine members of the party would challenge what he termed a “takeover” in court, vowing that the legal process would restore the party to its rightful stakeholders.
Bala also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently recognise him as the legitimate national chairman of the ADC.
This development comes in the wake of recent announcements by some ADC leaders and opposition figures adopting the party as the main coalition platform for the 2027 elections—an arrangement Bala and his supporters now reject.
As tensions mount, political analysts say the internal dispute could impact the strength and unity of the emerging coalition, potentially weakening opposition efforts ahead of the next general election.
