₦airaland Forum

Leadership Tussle: Nafiu Bala Resigns As ADC Chairman

By Funke Ogunlolu

The 2023 Gombe governorship candidate and former national deputy chairman of the African democratic congress. Nafiu Bala has tendered his letter of resignation after declaring himself as the interim national chairman of the party.

In the letter Addressed to the former national chairman of the party, Ralph Nwosu, Bala stated that his resignation was to pave way for smooth and effective coalition as well as restructuring the party.

Bala assured that he is not abandoning the party and ready to serve in any capacity but the former Gombe governorship candidate was silenced on the David Mark-led interim leadership.

The announcement came after the official handing over of ADC to the former Senate President and his team by the former national executive committee on Wednesday.

During his declaration as the national chairman, Bala had accused Mark-led interim leadership of the ADC of hijacking the party through unconstitutional means and warned of impending legal action to challenge what he described as a “total surrender” of the party’s structure to external political actors.

The former deputy national chairman emphasized that the party’s constitution clearly outlines the processes for leadership succession and that, in line with those provisions, he was now assuming the position of interim national chairman.

Source

Nigerians have zero confidence on the INEC chairman to be an unbiased umpire.

He has lost credibility even before he started. Meddling into internal party affairs.

Nafiu Bala declares himself interim chairman, just like Apapa of LP did (Do you see a pattern here?). The party's NEC didn't ratify and send this information to INEC, they actually recognized David Mark as Chairman. Nafiu even tenders a resignation after declaring himself interim chairman.

But somehow the court and INEC chairman even decide to entertain and act on this non issue?

With 30 governors, I don't see any reason APC and INEC should be afraid of opposition parties.

We've seen tyrants before and how they fell. Abacha, like Saddam Hussein, like Hitler, like Gaddafi, like Idi Amin, like Joseph Stalin, like Pol Pot, like al-Assad.

What will hit APC next year eh, even amadioha will be shocked to see it. Useless party

ADC is a comedy center!

Just look at the class of people that want to govern a country. They not even organized and diplomatic within themselves.

Won’t take responsibility and blaming APC for the woes of their OWN party.

ADC should quit politics and delve into cat fish farming.

Notice a disturbing pattern here.

Lamidi Apapa of LP declared himself interim national chairman, then a court backed him. LP was thrown into crisis because of this. At some point during this externally induced crisis, Abure had issues with LP leadership and they removed him as chairman. As soon as party leadership removed him, the court recognized him as LP party chairman, further deepening the crisis in the party.

Again, the same template was used on ADC. Nafiu Bala declares himself interim national chairman. The National Executive Committee of the party didn't recognize him, they made David Mark chairman. Bala even resigns from his self-proclaimed position. The party's NEC never at any point communicated to INEC recognizing Bala as chairman.

Despite all this, the court and INEC decide to step into something that is purely an internal party issue.

This is not democracy.

The desperado drug baron, APC, and their electoral arm, the Amupitan-led INEC are steering this country straight toward chaos.

Things to take out from this, he tendered a resignation letter, now he is foolishly denying tendering the resignation letter.

Second he assumed a position to himself, there are process to assume that position and it must be ratified by the NWC of the party.
Now this is an internal party affair which the supreme court have ruled that it is not justiciable.

So INEC under Amupitan has proven it is not ready to conduct a free and fair elections, rather a coronation.

This guy is getting bolder all of a sudden. The voice of Isaac, hands of Esau. Politics is game and you have to play it well. Atiku and David Mark committed a big blunder of not registering their own party like Seriake Dickson did. This Bala guy is firmly holding them by the balls very firmly and I don't see him losing his grip anytime soon. By the way, how did he manage to afford the fees of 5 SANs now

givedemwotowoto:
Nigerians have zero confidence on the INEC chairman to be an unbiased umpire.

He has lost credibility even before he started. Meddling into internal party affairs.

Nafiu Bala declares himself interim chairman, just like Apapa of LP did (Do you see a pattern here?). The party's NEC didn't ratify and send this information to INEC, they actually recognized David Mark as Chairman. Nafiu even tenders a resignation after declaring himself interim chairman.

But somehow the court and INEC chairman even decide to entertain and act on this non issue?

you
Oh na him cause this faction among the faction that is existing in ADC and PDP right? Dey play

YESSSSS
NAFIU BALA IS OUR AUTHENTIC. ADC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

Atiku and his allies should look for another trouble-free political party since they couldn’t form their own. Adopting ADC just because it appears before APC alphabetically on the ballot paper and because the similarity in their acronyms could confuse voters is unnecessary.
There are other options, such as ADP, LP, and even NNPP.

This is a very rich and developing story. Here is a thorough fact-check and deduction of the article you shared.


WHAT THE ARTICLE GETS RIGHT

The core event is real. A fresh leadership crisis did erupt in the ADC, with Nafiu Bala, the former governorship candidate in Gombe State and former national deputy chairman, declaring himself interim national chairman of the party. [Vanguard News](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/07/crisis-in-adc-ex-guber-candidate-nafiu-bala-declares-himself-national-chairman/) That is confirmed by multiple credible Nigerian outlets.

His constitutional argument is also accurately captured. Bala stated that the ADC constitution provides clear succession procedures and that, based on those guidelines, he assumed the role of interim national chairman, calling on INEC to urgently recognise him as the legitimate chairman. [Vanguard News](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/07/crisis-in-adc-ex-guber-candidate-nafiu-bala-declares-himself-national-chairman/)

His accusation against the David Mark faction is correctly reported. Bala accused the David Mark-led faction of illegally hijacking the party's leadership and violating its constitution, describing it as a "shameful political takeover orchestrated by outsiders." [Sahara Reporters](https://saharareporters.com/2025/07/31/ex-gov-candidate-nafiu-bala-declares-self-adc-interim-chairman-blasts-political-takeover)


WHAT THE ARTICLE GETS WRONG OR MISREPRESENTS

1. THE TIMING. The article's headline says "August 2025" but this is inaccurate. Bala's declaration came at a press conference on Wednesday night following the July 2 announcement by Ralph Nwosu, placing the declaration in late July 2025, not August. [Sahara Reporters](https://saharareporters.com/2025/07/31/ex-gov-candidate-nafiu-bala-declares-self-adc-interim-chairman-blasts-political-takeover) [Vanguard News](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/07/crisis-in-adc-ex-guber-candidate-nafiu-bala-declares-himself-national-chairman/) Specifically, Sahara Reporters dated the event July 31, 2025. [Sahara Reporters](https://saharareporters.com/2025/07/31/ex-gov-candidate-nafiu-bala-declares-self-adc-interim-chairman-blasts-political-takeover)

2. THE RESIGNATION LETTER IS HEAVILY DISPUTED. The article presents the resignation letter as authentic fact, but this is the most contested element of the entire story. Bala has categorically rejected the resignation letter, insisting it did not come from him and that the signature on it was forged. [Vanguard News](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/04/adc-factional-chair-nafiu-bala-disowns-resignation-letter-says-his-signature-forged/) On August 1, 2025, Bala dismissed the document as "entirely false, deceptive, malicious and fake." [Igbere TV](https://igberetvnews.com/1493678/adc-crisis-signature-forged-nafiu-bala-disowns-resignation-letter) He has maintained that position consistently since then.

3. THE DAVID MARK SIDE CONTRADICTS THIS ENTIRELY. David Mark has maintained that Bala resigned his deputy chairmanship position on May 17, 2025, and that the resignation was duly transmitted to INEC on August 12, 2025, making any subsequent legal action by Bala without locus. [Newsplatformngr](https://www.newsplatformngr.com/2026/04/02/text-of-the-world-press-conference-addressed-by-senator-david-mark-chairman-of-the-african-democratic-congress-adc/)


THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS (AS OF APRIL 2026)

The situation has moved far beyond what the article describes. The litigation between both factions prompted INEC to withdraw its recognition of the party and delist the names of the Mark executive from its portal. [Vanguard News](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/04/adc-factional-chair-nafiu-bala-disowns-resignation-letter-says-his-signature-forged/) Then, on March 12, 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed Mark's jurisdictional challenge entirely, ruling it incompetent and unmeritorious, a significant legal victory for Bala's faction. [Legit.ng](https://www.legit.ng/politics/1703974-breaking-fresh-twist-adc-factional-chair-raises-fresh-alarm-forged-signature/) However, on April 1, 2026, INEC issued a statement withdrawing recognition from both the ADC leadership led by Mark and the faction led by Bala, creating what Mark described as a false equivalence between the two sides. [Newsplatformngr](https://www.newsplatformngr.com/2026/04/02/text-of-the-world-press-conference-addressed-by-senator-david-mark-chairman-of-the-african-democratic-congress-adc/)


OVERALL VERDICT

The article is partially authentic but problematic. The core crisis is real, but the resignation letter it treats as genuine is vigorously disputed by Bala himself as a forgery. The "August 2025" date in the headline is also off — the declaration happened in late July 2025. The article also presents a frozen snapshot of a story that has since escalated dramatically, with court rulings, INEC derecognition of both factions, and a full constitutional crisis now engulfing the ADC as it tries to position itself as the main opposition platform for 2027.

Boyooosa:
you
Oh na him cause this faction among the faction that is existing in ADC and PDP right? Dey play

So if someone wakes up tomorrow and calls themselves INEC chairman, you now address them as factional INEC chairman?

Why can't they allow him to be the chairman till the convention. At the convention they will choose who they want to be the chairman and boot him out of the party finally.

Time is of the essence. The deadline for party primary is May 30th 2026. Will the court finish this case when ADC will still have time for convention and the party primary?

They should just allow him to be the interim chairman till the convention next week.

Willy2025:
This guy is getting bolder all of a sudden. The voice of Isaac, hands of Esau. Politics is game and you have to play it well. Atiku and David Mark committed a big blunder of not registering their own party like Seriake Dickson did. This Bala guy is firmly holding them by the balls very firmly and I don't see him losing his grip anytime soon. By the way, how did he manage to afford the fees of 5 SANs now

Lolz! The Esau's hands is from Abuja if you know you know

Boyooosa:
you
Oh na him cause this faction among the faction that is existing in ADC and PDP right? Dey play

My guy you sef think am nah, all of a sudden LP, PDP and recently ADC all have crisis bar APC. This can't be a coincidence but a well plotted move by someone somewhere

U less ADC is ready to zone power to the south ... If not, Make Tinubuuu continue!!!!!

Declare himself......I forsee a lot of break up in ADC.

This your statement is hibfdlfyvldyvb jlcyvluybludvd dhvudvufv cuvoufyuyv dgouyxvououSDvouf uyriifbivbse dhbyisbdviubvibsd ivsdhvidbuvbiv

HacheNoire:
ADC is a comedy center!

Just look at the class of people that want to govern a country. They not even organized and diplomatic within themselves.

Won’t take responsibility and blaming APC for the woes of their OWN party.

ADC should quit politics and delve into cat fish farming.

Willy2025:
This guy is getting bolder all of a sudden. The voice of Isaac, hands of Esau. Politics is game and you have to play it well. Atiku and David Mark committed a big blunder of not registering their own party like Seriake Dickson did. This Bala guy is firmly holding them by the balls very firmly and I don't see him losing his grip anytime soon. By the way, how did he manage to afford the fees of 5 SANs now

Emilokan all over, till hand touch am like Apapa 😂🤷🏿.
Apapa had SANs , Lexus V8 , police escort, Abuja top hotel residence.
Wike sudden rant and involvement

HacheNoire:
ADC is a comedy center!

Just look at the class of people that want to govern a country. They not even organized and diplomatic within themselves.

Won’t take responsibility and blaming APC for the woes of their OWN party.

ADC should quit politics and delve into cat fish farming.

see what the over hyped criminal that is organised.you touts from Lagos state smuggled into aso rock has done to the country.well well

givedemwotowoto:
Nigerians have zero confidence on the INEC chairman to be an unbiased umpire.

He has lost credibility even before he started. Meddling into internal party affairs.

Nafiu Bala declares himself interim chairman, just like Apapa of LP did (Do you see a pattern here?). The party's NEC didn't ratify and send this information to INEC, they actually recognized David Mark as Chairman. Nafiu even tenders a resignation after declaring himself interim chairman.

But somehow the court and INEC chairman even decide to entertain and act on this non issue?

@CityBoyMovement
#CityBoyMovement

Status Quo Ante Bellum

♾️Tinubu till 2031.

HacheNoire:
ADC is a comedy center!

Just look at the class of people that want to govern a country. They not even organized and diplomatic within themselves.

Won’t take responsibility and blaming APC for the woes of their OWN party.

ADC should quit politics and delve into cat fish farming.

Of course they won’t take responsibility—blaming APC, the President, the judiciary and INEC is what earns them claps online. Politics is funny: you can recognize the truth and still ignore it because your supporters prefer the lie. ‘Game of numbers’… even when those numbers aren’t thinking.

givedemwotowoto:
Nigerians have zero confidence on the INEC chairman to be an unbiased umpire.

He has lost credibility even before he started. Meddling into internal party affairs.

Nafiu Bala declares himself interim chairman, just like Apapa of LP did (Do you see a pattern here?). The party's NEC didn't ratify and send this information to INEC, they actually recognized David Mark as Chairman. Nafiu even tenders a resignation after declaring himself interim chairman.

But somehow the court and INEC chairman even decide to entertain and act on this non issue?

Continue to wallow in self inflicted delusion.
January 2027 will soon be here.

Prepare for your perpetual wailing and gnashing of teeth , courtesy of Great Jagaban the Conqueror..

givedemwotowoto:
Leadership Tussle: Nafiu Bala Resigns As ADC Chairman

Source

How can he resign in the same news report that says he declared himself as interim chairman

What is the confusion about?

Where is the AIT video of him announcing his resignation?

The video may still be ignored by our APC-compromised judiciary, like in the Rivers State Assembly case.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uX-E3yxvs0?si=KfCALA15quklQ_oQ

georgeakins:
Continue to wallow in self inflicted delusion.
January 2027 will soon be here.

Prepare for your perpetual wailing and gnashing of teeth , courtesy of Great Jagaban the Conqueror..

The conqueror of 20 million smart Lagosians, who drink shitty water despite increasing budget 100 times since 1999?

The budget increase from higher tax burden on the people.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5v-F81hNTs

givedemwotowoto:
Nigerians have zero confidence on the INEC chairman to be an unbiased umpire.

He has lost credibility even before he started. Meddling into internal party affairs.

Nafiu Bala declares himself interim chairman, just like Apapa of LP did (Do you see a pattern here?). The party's NEC didn't ratify and send this information to INEC, they actually recognized David Mark as Chairman. Nafiu even tenders a resignation after declaring himself interim chairman.

But somehow the court and INEC chairman even decide to entertain and act on this non issue?

Some of you think court case is like your family dispute. Do you know why the reason all political parties don't want their members to seek legal redress in any issue.

Macphenson:
Things to take out from this, he tendered a resignation letter, now he is foolishly denying tendering the resignation letter.

Second he assumed a position to himself, there are process to assume that position and it must be ratified by the NWC of the party.
Now this is an internal party affair which the supreme court have ruled that it is not justiciable.

So INEC under Amupitan has proven it is not ready to conduct a free and fair elections, rather a coronation.

Where is the resignation letter ? No one can produce it... Thats the challenge now...

atiku4President:
With 30 governors, I don't see any reason APC and INEC should be afraid of opposition parties.

Atiku and Obi must not contest against Tulumbu

muykem:
Some of you think court case is like your family dispute. Do you know why the reason all political parties don't want their members to seek legal redress in any issue.

In a working democracy, Nafiu will face legal consequences for impersonation because there’s a procedure for becoming a party chairman. That’s the democracy we’re going to fight for from the current incompetent leadership who don’t deserve to be there