An internal leadership tussle has began within the opposition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC) as Nafiu Bala, a Gombe-born politician and former gubernatorial candidate, on Thursday declared himself the Interim National Chairman of the party.
The position which is currently held by former Senate President David Mark, who was named interim chairman following the adoption of the ADC as the platform for an opposition coalition.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Bala cited his position as the duly elected National Deputy Chairman of the ADC as the basis for his claim to the interim leadership. He accused certain unnamed individuals of deliberately orchestrating a leadership crisis within the party, referring to them as “political hooligans.”
Bala criticized past party leaders for allegedly abandoning their constitutional duties and surrendering control of the party to “powerful outsiders” who, he claimed, have no legitimate affiliation with the ADC.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently recognize the change in leadership and respect the provisions of the party’s constitution.
