.Bala rejects David Mark’s leadership takeover
The African Democratic Congress, ADC has denied reports suggesting it is in talks with another political party, specifically the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP ahead of an expected court judgment concerning its leadership dispute.
In a statement addressing the claim, the party spokesman, Bolaji Abdullah, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
This he also shared on X, and there he said: “Our attention has been drawn to a story in circulation that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is in talks with another political party, specifically the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), in anticipation of its court judgment.”
It described the report as false, stating: “We would like to state categorically that this is not true.”
The ADC leadership further clarified its position on coalition discussions.
It said: “The coalition leadership is not having any such conversation with any political party at the moment.”
Reaffirming its current focus, the party stated: “We are fully committed to ensuring that the illegal action taken against our leadership by INEC and other agents of the ruling party is upturned.
“We believe that this is the only path to safeguarding the rule of law and ensuring that multiparty democracy survives in Nigeria.”
While acknowledging openness to broader political collaboration, the statement added: “While we are open to expanding the coalition to bring all opposition elements in the country together to rescue our country, we remain clear about the responsibility that this moment has imposed on us. We will not abdicate that responsibility.”
It also dismissed claims of a possible defection or abandonment of the party.
Abdullah stated: “Therefore, any suggestion that we are considering abandoning the ADC is preemptive and speculative, and should be ignored.”
On the ongoing legal and political situation, the party said: “Notwithstanding the flagrant bastardisation of democratic institutions, the ADC leadership remains confident that the judicial institutions will, at this defining moment, resist the pressure to be complicit in undermining Nigeria’s democracy.”
Meanwhile, the acclaimed acting National Chairman of ADC, Nafiu Bala, has alleged that he was deceived into attending a ceremony where the party’s leadership was handed over.
Bala stated this in an interview with AIT News aired on Monday while reacting to reports that he was present during the installation of former Senate President David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as interim National Chairman and Secretary of the party.
He claimed he was invited under the false pretence that the July 2025 event was merely for the adoption of new coalition members into the ADC, led by former chairman Ralph Nwosu.
Instead, he said he found himself at a ceremony installing new leaders.
“I was tricked to attend the handing-over ceremony to David Mark. Ralph told me that it was just adoption of new members for the coalition movement.
“But on the same day, Nwosu announced his resignation, and on the same day, he announced David Mark and other excos,” he said.
Bala, who was ADC’s deputy national chairman at the time, claimed he only realised the true nature of the gathering after it had begun.
He maintained that he had no prior knowledge of the leadership transition and did not consent to it.
Asked why he did not raise the alarm or go to court immediately after the event, the embattled politician said he consulted widely before forwarding his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as acting National Chairman of the ADC.
According to him, INEC informed him that he had resigned his position as Deputy National Chairman — a development he described as part of the deception.
“Immediately after one week, we started organising meetings. The remaining NWC and NEC members were consulting across the country before taking any action.
“After consultations, I wrote a letter to INEC, as Deputy National Chairman and with the remaining NWC, that I had resumed office as the authentic acting National Chairman of the party.
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