News Investigators/ The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has alleged that former National Vice Chairman (North East), Nafiu Bala aligned with external political interests after allegedly receiving inducements, as the party’s leadership crisis continues to generate controversy across Nigeria’s political landscape.
Mr. Abdullahi who spoke during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Monday, alleged Mr. Bala was offered inducement the ADC could not match, insisting that the party is focused on saving Nigerians and not enriching political actors.
The ADC spokesman accused “people within government” of baiting the embattled for National Vice Chairman but was however not specific on the offer.
“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. Suddenly, this is a man we all know, and he now has a convoy of armoured cars, security details, and is living in luxury. Where did all that come from? For us, it is clear that he got a better offer elsewhere and decided to align with those interests against the party,” he said.
Recall that the leadership crisis within the ADC intensified in early April 2026 as factional leader Nafiu Bala publicly disowned a circulating resignation letter, labeling it a forgery. This development follows a Court of Appeal ruling that prompted INEC to de-list the rival National Working Committee led by Senator David Mark. Bala, who claims he is the rightful acting chairman as the party’s highest-ranking original officer.
According to Mr. Abdullahi, that there was no internal confusion within the ADC, contrary to public perception, maintaining that the situation was artificially created by external forces.
“There was no confusion in ADC, except that which has been engineered by INEC, which is being used by the ruling All Progressives Congress on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no confusion whatsoever. What INEC has done is to create a situation that never existed, and Nigerians are beginning to see through it. This is not about internal disagreement; this is about external interference designed to destabilise the party,” he said.
The ADC spokesman also challenged INEC’s authority over party leadership matters, describing its actions as unconstitutional and inconsistent with established legal precedents.
He maintained that political parties operate as voluntary associations whose internal affairs cannot be dictated by external bodies, stressing that INEC’s role is limited to supervision.
“INEC does not have the power to remove leadership of a political party. Fundamentally, a political party is a voluntary association, and if you are not a member of our family, you cannot come and remove the head of that family. The role of INEC is supervisory, not administrative, not to control political parties and decide how they run their affairs. What they have done goes completely against established legal principles and the very foundation of democratic practice in Nigeria,” Mr. Abdullahi argued.
Addressing the Court of Appeal ruling at the centre of the dispute, Mr. Abdullahi explained that the directive to maintain “status quo ante bellum” had been misinterpreted by INEC.
He argued that the ruling referred to maintaining the condition of the party before the conflict initiated by Bala, a period during which the leadership under David Mark was already in place and recognised.
“The Court of Appeal ruling was very clear when it said maintain status quo ante bellum, which simply means return to the situation before the conflict started. Now, before Nafiu Bala went to court, David Mark was already the duly recognised chairman of the party following the NEC meeting of July 29, which INEC monitored and acknowledged. So how does maintaining status quo suddenly translate into removing an existing leadership and leaving the party without direction? That interpretation is not only fraudulent, it is dishonest and completely self-serving,” he said.
“At what point was Nafiu Bala ever the chairman of ADC? That answer is clearly no. He was one of the deputy national chairmen, one among six, and there was a resolution taken on July 25 that all members of the executive should resign, which he duly did. If he is now claiming that his signature was forged, that is a criminal offence. Has he reported to the police? Is there any official complaint anywhere? There is none, and that tells you everything you need to know about the credibility of that claim,” he said.
On Mr. Bala’s claim that his resignation was forged, Mr. Abdullahi dismissed the allegation, challenging him to provide evidence of any formal complaint to law enforcement authorities. He noted that forgery is a criminal offence that requires official reporting and investigation, which he said Bala had failed to initiate.
“There is ample evidence available that shows he resigned, and beyond that, we even looked at his linguistic fingerprint. He has a peculiar way of writing certain words, and everything aligns with what we have on record, including the resignation letter. But even if, for the sake of argument, we accept that his signature was forged, the next NEC meeting dissolved the entire executive and brought in a caretaker committee led by David Mark. INEC was present, they monitored it, and they documented it. So this argument does not stand on any serious legal or factual ground,” Mr. Abdullahi added.
Responding to claims that earlier warnings could have prevented the crisis, Mr. Abdullahi dismissed the credibility of those cited, including Leke Abejide and Dumebi Kachikwu.
“Who are the people giving these warnings? Leke Abejide had publicly declared support for President Tinubu ahead of 2027 and was expelled for anti-party activities. Dumebi Kachikwu had also been expelled before we even came on board. So how do individuals who are no longer part of the party suddenly become authoritative voices on its internal affairs? These are distractions, and we know exactly who is pushing them and for what purpose,” he said.
“All these things you are seeing are meant to achieve a particular end, which is to ensure that by 2027 there will be only one candidate on the ballot. That is the direction things are going if Nigerians do not pay attention. You can see what is happening across parties, how structures are being destabilised and weakened systematically. This is not accidental; it is coordinated, and it is dangerous for the future of democracy in Nigeria,” he warned.
Mr. Abdullahi further explained why the ADC approached the Court of Appeal despite the matter still being before the Federal High Court, citing Supreme Court rulings limiting jurisdiction over internal party affairs.
“The reason for going to the Court of Appeal was to establish that the Federal High Court does not have the locus to entertain this matter at all. The Supreme Court has already ruled clearly that issues relating to the internal affairs of political parties are not justiciable. So it is not about rushing; it is about ensuring that the law is properly interpreted and applied. The Court of Appeal itself acknowledged this and asked that the status quo be maintained while the matter is resolved,” he explained.
Mr. Abdullahi affirmed that the ADC would proceed with its planned national convention, having complied fully with the law and notified INEC within the stipulated timeframe.
“We have complied fully with the law by giving INEC the required 21 days’ notice, and they acknowledged it. The Electoral Act clearly states that INEC may attend, not that it must attend, especially for internal administrative processes like electing party officers. There is absolutely nothing unlawful about proceeding with our convention, and we will not allow illegal directives to derail our activities. Doing so would mean we are complicit in undermining democracy, and we will not accept that,” he stated.
Callers to the programme urged the party to prioritise unity and the national interest. Abdullahi acknowledged these concerns and reiterated the ADC’s commitment to remaining a credible opposition.
“We have heard Nigerians, and we understand their expectations. Democracy thrives when there is a strong and credible opposition, and that is what we are working towards. We will continue to engage, to organise, and to ensure that the voices of Nigerians are not silenced. This is bigger than ADC; it is about the future of democratic participation in this country,”*_ he responded.
“We Could Not Match What They Were Offering Nafiu Bala,” ADC Alleges, Vows Party Will Proceed With Conventions Without INEC
