The internal leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has escalated, with rival factions now turning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to assert control of the party.
A faction led by Nafiu Bala has formally written to INEC, urging the commission to withdraw recognition of former Senate President David Mark and ex-Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Chairman and Secretary.
Bala, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, insists he is the rightful leader of the party following the resignation of former chairman Ralph Nwosu. His move comes after a recent Court of Appeal ruling dismissed an appeal filed by Mark on procedural grounds, while also directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive case at the Federal High Court.
Relying on this judgment, Bala has asked INEC to recognise him as the party’s chairman, arguing that any action contrary to the court’s directive would undermine ongoing legal proceedings.
However, the move has been strongly contested. A separate legal opinion submitted to INEC advised the commission not to recognise any leadership changes until the court delivers a final judgment, warning that doing otherwise could violate legal and constitutional principles.
The crisis has also taken a political turn, with allegations emerging from within the party that external forces are attempting to influence its leadership structure. These claims have been dismissed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which described them as baseless and urged the ADC to focus on resolving its internal issues.
APC officials maintained that neither the Presidency nor the ruling party has any involvement in the ADC’s leadership tussle, stressing that all parties must respect the court’s directive and follow due legal process.
As tensions rise, the fate of the ADC leadership now rests largely on INEC’s position and the eventual ruling of the Federal High Court, with both factions holding firm to their claims.
