A fresh crisis has erupted within the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 elections, as a faction loyal to the factional National Chairman, Nafiu Bala, warned opposition heavyweights—including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai—against hijacking the party.
The warning was issued on Thursday by the ADC Board of Trustees (BoT), which also passed a vote of confidence in Bala, describing the David Mark-led coalition as an illegal structure backed by a rival leadership.
Addressing journalists during a press conference in Abuja, BoT Secretary, Chief Rufus Ekenmi, condemned what he called “an attempt by some individuals who illegally sneaked into the party in the name of a coalition, infesting the ADC with the political spirit of insubordination.”
He said, “The Board of Trustees of the ADC has observed with no little misgiving that there’s an attempt to hijack the party by the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, David Mark, El-Rufai, Rauf Aregbesola, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Babachir Lawal, Emeka Ihedioha, Liyel Imoke, and others, which is illegal and condemnable.”
Ekenmi, represented by another BoT member, Abdulmumeeni Ibraheem, further described them as “politicians with a high propensity for impatience.”
The faction also mandated Bala to activate a disciplinary committee to sanction any ADC member found interacting with the listed leaders, insisting the party “will not condone any act of lawlessness by its members.”
Reacting to his endorsement, Bala vowed to uphold the constitution of the party while promising to be fair and objective in his leadership.
He also accused members of the coalition of breaching the ADC constitution by operating from a parallel headquarters.
“I must state unequivocally that our party constitution unambiguously stipulates that only registered members in good standing are entitled to party privileges, including access to official premises,” Bala said.
He added that the rival group had “circumvented the rules governing party operations, the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution,” warning that their actions threatened internal democracy.
The factional chair also faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission for recognising Mark as ADC chairman despite him not being a registered member.
“The situation remains fluid as stakeholders await a decision from the Federal High Court, which is currently challenging INEC’s recognition of David Mark’s leadership of the ADC—a leadership position for which he does not hold party membership,” Bala noted.
When contacted for reaction, National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said they could not be seen engaging the Bala faction in any public debate.
“We don’t like engaging in this kind of conversation. In fact, we are not aware that any faction exists, and we don’t want to continue to give life to that story,” he argued.
The new twist comes three days after the Mark-led faction inaugurated a new ADC national secretariat in Abuja. Notably, Atiku and Obi—two of the coalition’s biggest political assets—were absent.
The building, previously used as Atiku’s presidential campaign office during the last election, has now been taken over by the ADC.
Abdullahi dismissed suggestions that the development reflected a deeper realignment within the opposition.
“Atiku used to be the tenant of this building. But his tenancy has lapsed. The African Democratic Congress is now the tenant of this building. This is not an indication of anything,” he said.
He insisted that the party remained committed to fairness as it prepared for its February congresses, adding that the coalition’s structure remained unchanged.
Abdullahi also confirmed that Obi and El-Rufai were expected to “come back fully” following the conclusion of the Anambra governorship election.
PUNCH Online reported that the ADC has been pushing opposition figures to formally resign from their parties and register fully with the ADC—a move resisted by key coalition leaders.
Obi, through his former campaign spokesman Dr Yunusa Tanko, said he would clarify his position only after the November 8 Anambra election, insisting he would not be rushed.
The ADC internal wrangling intensified in August when Nafiu Bala announced he had assumed office as National Chairman, escalating a leadership tussle that has left the party split ahead of 2027.
