ADC Crisis: ‘I Was Tricked,’ Bala Disowns David Mark’s Takeover

The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a fresh twist as the party’s factional acting National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, claims he was misled into attending the event that produced David Mark as interim national chairman.

Speaking in an interview on Africa Independent Television on Monday, Bala said he had no prior knowledge that the July 2025 gathering would culminate in a leadership handover.

According to him, he was invited under the pretext that the meeting was solely for the adoption of new coalition members into the party.

“I was tricked to attend the handing-over ceremony,” Bala said, alleging that former chairman Ralph Nwosu misrepresented the purpose of the event.

He explained that events took an unexpected turn when Nwosu announced his resignation and immediately unveiled a new leadership structure, including Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as interim national secretary.

Bala, who was deputy national chairman at the time, insisted he neither consented to nor was consulted about the transition.

 He added that after consulting with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), he formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission of his assumption of office as acting national chairman.

However, he claimed INEC informed him that he had already resigned his previous position an assertion he described as part of the alleged deception.

The dispute underscores deepening divisions within the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections, with rival factions loyal to Mark, Bala, and former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu all laying claim to the party’s leadership.

The crisis is now headed for a legal showdown, as the Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal filed by Mark on April 22.