Nigeria’s opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) remains embroiled in a deepening leadership dispute after Hon. Nafiu Bala, who leads one of the rival factions, publicly disowned a widely circulated resignation letter, asserting that his signature on the document was forged and that he did not resign from his position within the party.
Speaking in a video published by Rariya Hausa, Bala who claims to be the acting national chairman of the ADC, directly challenged the authenticity of a letter purportedly dated May 17, 2025, which suggested he resigned as deputy national chairman. He stated the letter “did not come from me” and insisted the signature on it was forged.
Bala traced his claim to party leadership to events following the July 2, 2025 resignation of the party’s previous executives, led by former chairman Ralph Nwosu. According to Bala, the ADC constitution allows a deputy to assume leadership when the top position becomes vacant — a provision he says justifies his role as acting national chairman pending a national convention.
In his rebuttal, Bala stressed that any legitimate correspondence from him would have been issued on his official letterhead, warning party members and the public to disregard any document lacking that formal mark. The current resignation document, he said, fails that basic test of authenticity.
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of a broader leadership crisis within the ADC, pitting Bala’s faction against that aligned with former Senate President David Mark, who has maintained that Bala did indeed resign and that his resignation was formally communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in August 2025.
Earlier legal actions saw Bala approach a Federal High Court in Abuja in September 2025 seeking recognition as acting national chairman and a directive to bar the rival faction from presenting itself as the party’s leadership. Mark challenged the jurisdiction of that court, but the Court of Appeal in March 2026 dismissed the challenge as “incompetent and unmeritorious,” giving Bala’s camp a procedural boost though not a final resolution on leadership legitimacy.
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Meanwhile, INEC has taken a cautious stance, withdrawing recognition of identified executives from both factions in compliance with court guidance and pending the substantive resolution of the dispute. The commission has stated it will not recognise communications from either faction until the legal battle concludes.
The leadership dispute has wider implications for the ADC’s organisational stability as Nigeria’s 2027 general elections approach, with questions about candidate nominations, party structure, and public trust hinging on the party’s ability to resolve its internal wrangling.
