Nafiu Bala, factional national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has confirmed that he attended the party’s July 2025 unveiling of the interim leadership led by former Senate President David Mark, but insists the appointments were imposed and not formally approved.
Bala’s clarification comes in the wake of viral videos showing him at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, seated alongside other party figures including former Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo. The videos reignited debate over the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership.
While Bala acknowledged his presence, he stressed that his attendance did not signify consent to the appointments. He also addressed a now-deleted Facebook post in which he appeared to celebrate Mark’s emergence as chairman, saying the post did not reflect formal approval of the leadership changes.
“The meeting held on July 2, 2025, was convened to adopt ADC as a unified platform for coalition partners, not to unveil new party leaders,” Bala said.
He alleged that the programme took an unexpected turn when the then national chairman, Ralph Okey Nwosu, delivered his address, announced his resignation, and proceeded to declare Mark as acting national chairman and former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
“Contrary to expectations, Chief Nwosu issued membership cards to Sen. David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola and declared them acting national chairman and national secretary,” Bala said, adding that the move violated Articles 8(2) and 9(4) of the ADC Constitution (2022, as amended), which do not allow an outgoing chairman to appoint a successor unilaterally.
“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 added.
Bala further revealed that Sa’id Baba Abdullahi, the party’s national secretary at the time, resigned shortly after the announcement under 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,” he said.
The clarification comes amid a protracted leadership crisis that has engulfed the ADC since July 2025, when the opposition coalition assumed control. Both Bala and the Mark-led faction have laid claim to the party’s leadership, triggering a series of legal disputes.
The controversy escalated last week when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it would no longer recognise either faction, following the March 12 Court of Appeal ruling that ordered parties to maintain the status quo pending resolution in the Federal High Court.
Bala said his statement was intended to provide context to the circulating videos and to set the record straight on his role at the event.
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