ADC crisis: Bala denies endorsing David Mark’s interim leadership

Nafiu Bala, the factional national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has denied endorsing the party’s interim leadership led by former Senate President David Mark, despite confirming that he attended the July 2, 2025 meeting where the leadership was unveiled.

In a statement released Tuesday, Bala said the meeting was originally convened to discuss the adoption of the ADC as a common platform for opposition coalition partners, not for the announcement of new party leaders.

According to him, the situation changed unexpectedly when the then national chairman, Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, used his welcome address to announce his resignation and immediately named David Mark as acting national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.

Bala described the development as surprising and contrary to the party’s constitutional provisions.

“In a shocking move, he announced his resignation as National Chairman, issued membership cards to Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, and declared them Acting National Chairman and National Secretary respectively,” Bala said.

He argued that the action violated Articles 8(2) and 9(4) of the ADC Constitution (2022 as amended), stressing that the party’s rules do not empower an outgoing chairman to appoint a successor.

Bala further maintained that the proper procedure for replacing the national chairman was not followed and that members of the National Working Committee (NWC) were neither consulted nor informed beforehand.

“I was present at the meeting and can attest that the gathering was not intended for the unveiling of Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders,” he said.