Nafiu Bala Declares Himself ADC Chairman, Vows To Challenge David Mark’s Leadership

Nafiu Bala, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Gombe State during the 2023 elections, has announced himself as the party’s Interim National Chairman.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Bala said he was stepping into the role as Interim Chairman in line with the powers granted to him as the party’s elected National Deputy Chairman.

According to him, the party is facing a serious leadership crisis caused by what he called “political hooligans” who have allegedly hijacked the party’s structure.

He accused former leaders of neglecting their duties and handing control of the party to outsiders who, he claimed, have no affiliation with the ADC.

The ADC chieftain described the situation as a “shameful drama” and warned that such actions threaten the party’s stability and the principles of internal democracy.

Bala also made it clear that if those responsible refuse to correct their actions, he and his supporters are prepared to take the matter to court to defend the party’s constitution.

He said: “I, Honourable Nafiu Bala, a bonafide member and a duly elected National Deputy Chairman of our great party, the African Democratic Congress wishes to draw the attention of the entire members of our great party and Nigerians at large, to the ongoing acts of political hooliganism being perpetrated by some individuals who were hitherto entrusted with the leadership of the party.

“We are all living witnesses to the show of shame and acts of lawlessness being displayed by these unscrupulous leaders, who, without any qualm or sense of moral restraint, plunged our party into a needless crisis and leadership uncertainty.

“The idea of mortgaging the future of our great party, by abdicating the constitutional duties and responsibilities of all elected officers of the party, to some powerful outsiders who never belong to the party, is condemnable.

”Recently, the nation woke up only to be greeted by a shoddily rehearsed political melodrama, in which elected roles were switched with certain groups of political strangers in order to facilitate the complete takeover of the party structures and its political appurtenances.

“This total surrender and capitulation is without any known precedent in our democratic journey to constitutional order. We are therefore strongly resolved and collectively determined to challenge this affront and ensure that the party’s laid down rules and stipulated provisions are respected and strictly adhered to by all those who belong to it.

“In case these individuals choose to ignore our urgent calls to obey our constitutional guidelines and thus remain very obdurate and recalcitrant in their aberrant behaviour, we shall proceed with gusto to challenge these gross acts of impunity in the courts and bring them to justice.

“It gives us enormous pain to inundate you with these scandalous happenings in our party, but we have been left with no other option to take in defence of our inalienable constitutional rights, as evident by the prevailing situation we now find ourselves in the party.

“In the history of democracy all over the world, no party leader or any group of leaders have the power to arbitrarily transfer elected mandate or political authority to non-members who never belonged or contested for political office.”

He stressed that the ADC constitution outlines clear steps for filling vacant leadership roles and that, as Deputy Chairman, he has the authority to take charge when necessary.

Bala called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize this change in leadership, saying it’s crucial to protect the party’s structure and democratic values.

 “The constitution of our great party has made adequate provision as laid down in many clauses, articulating the succession guidelines and how even vacant positions should be constitutionally filled.

“In the circumstances and also in furtherance of my constitutional mandate as the duly elected National Deputy Chairman of our great party, I now assume my constitutional duty and responsibility as the Interim National Chairman of our great party.

“Therefore, I am hereby calling on the esteemed Independent National Electoral Commission to so urgently step in to take due cognisance of this development,” he said.

KanyiDaily recalls that former Senate President, David Mark, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after emerging as the interim chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).