Senator Ishaku Abbo has attributed the ongoing leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to betrayal, internal disagreements, and interference from external political actors.
The crisis escalated on Wednesday after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) de-recognised the factions led by former Senate President David Mark and Nafiu Bala, citing the March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal.
INEC’s commissioner for information and voter education, Mohammed Haruna, stated that the commission would refrain from engaging either faction, including attending meetings, congresses, or conventions, until the determination of a case currently before the Federal High Court.
Reacting on his verified Facebook page on Saturday, Abbo said the crisis began after Bala and the ADC national working committee (NWC) resigned to allow a new leadership under Mark to take over.
“If you check the picture below, the man sitting before me is Nafiu Bala. He was at the Yar’Adua Centre clapping and cheering as David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola took over as national chairman and secretary respectively,” Abbo wrote.
He claimed that an agreement had been reached to allocate party positions across geopolitical zones, integrating members of the legacy structure into the new ADC leadership.
According to Abbo, Bala was promised the position of national vice-chairman for the north-east — a role lower than his former position as deputy national chairman.
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However, Abbo alleged that the Mark-led leadership reneged on the agreement, installing Babachir David Lawal as national vice-chairman for the north-east instead.
He added that Bala rejected an alternative offer of zonal financial secretary after being allegedly described as unqualified for the role, prompting him to “start plotting how to bring the whole roof down.”
The senator further accused unnamed political actors, including a serving governor and a former minister, of sponsoring legal actions against the party, exacerbating the leadership conflict.
Abbo called on Bala to withdraw the ongoing court case and work towards party unity. He also urged INEC to reconsider its decision, warning of potential consequences if the impasse continues.
The unfolding situation underscores the fragility of internal party agreements and highlights the influence of external political actors in shaping party leadership disputes in Nigeria.